


The Devil's Furnace

by Hangmans_Radio



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, BDSM, Caning, Choking, Dom/sub Undertones, Horror Kink, M/M, Public Masturbation, Spanking, Threesome - M/M/M, Urethral Play, erotic haunted house, staged violence, the sexiest devil who ever sexed, with a little sprinkling of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2020-06-25 08:17:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 72,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19741768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hangmans_Radio/pseuds/Hangmans_Radio
Summary: Gerard has a horror kink and is going through a bit of a 'dry spell'.Erotic haunted houses are the hot new thing in the BDSM scene. The Devil's Furnace promises to be the most terrifying and the most... physical. Gerard isn't quite sure what to expect, but is willing to try anything once (or twice, or even three times... once he's met the devilishly handsome Frank).





	1. Into the furnace

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rylescoe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rylescoe/gifts).



> So this story would not be a thing without the gorgeously twisted mind of Rylescoe, who asked me if I would take their idea and write it for them. This is not so much a request fic as me becoming a ghost writer for one of my favourite muses ever <3
> 
> Needless to say, horror is not the kinda sandbox I like to play in (hello world's biggest scaredy cat), but I will do my absolute best to do this story justice. So far all I know is it's going to get kinky, and hopefully scary too. 
> 
> Chapters will also be shorter than my usual offerings, with the hope that I will then update quickly. Please feel free to remind me of this with added cursing if I fail on that point.
> 
> XO

The bus was trundling along a country road in the middle of nowhere, so dark that all Gerard could see in the black windows was his own pale reflection looking back at him. It was a cloudy night, so not even the moon could be seen outside; just never-ending darkness.

Around him, the other seats were full of couples, but the chattering that had filled the small space since they had been picked up an hour before, had now turned to silence. Everyone seemed to sense that they were close to their destination, and the quiet was pregnant with anticipation.

The bus began to slow, making a left turn. It drove through dimly lit wrought iron gates, and came into a spacious square yard that was surrounded by tall, black brick walls. The walls were so high they blocked out the crimson glow of the courtyard from the road, so that it all seemed to appear suddenly, as if by magic.

Gerard’s heart began to race, and the first tinges of fear began to mingle with his excitement. He peered out of the window, but all he could see was the shadow of the walls and the red, glowing ground.

There was a scramble of bodies as everyone stood up and hurried to leave the bus. Gerard was glad to let everyone else go in front, and then follow along behind. As the only person who had come alone, he didn’t want to attract attention to himself by standing between two couples. 

Outside the bus, everyone had come to a halt to gaze in awe at the building that towered over them. It was a tall, square building, with seven floors and dozens of windows that were lit up from beneath by red lights. The bricks were black, as with the outer walls, making the whole thing feel hellish, which Gerard supposed was the point.

There were no signs on the building, or the gates or the walls. But the poster that had been pinned in the bondage club had called it _The Devil’s Furnace_. 

Once everyone was off the bus, the engine roared back to life and off it went, back out of the gates which swung shut behind it, and into the night. 

Gerard watched it go, starting to feel just a little breathless. His eyes darted about, looking for anything he might have missed, but the courtyard was empty.

When he turned back, the rest of the group were making their way towards the building. It had a pair of wooden doors, studded with iron bolts, and everyone congregated around them. Gerard made his way over too, hovering at the back of the group as one brave soul knocked on the wood.

“You alone too?”

Gerard almost jumped out of his skin, but it was only another member of the crowd. A short man, with lots of tattoos and hair that was shaved at the sides. Gerard had noticed him the moment he’d walked onto the bus and seen him sat in one of the front seats. He’d been sat next to a woman, but there was no sign of her now. 

“I, uh, yeah.” Gerard blushed at his own fumbling, his cheeks going red. The guy was _gorgeous_ , with dazzling hazel eyes and an impish smile that made him go weak at the knees. “A - Are you?”

“Uhuh, my friends all bailed on me.” The guy rolled his eyes, but he didn’t look too upset about it. “I’m Frank.”

He held out his hand, and Gerard noticed some sort of lettering tattooed on his knuckles just before his own fingers closed around them and they shook hands. 

“Gerard.” At least his voice didn’t shake this time. “You ever been to one of these before?”

“Nah, have you?” Frank seemed unconcerned by the nervous shifting of the group. The knock at the door had received no answer, and with no clear instructions, the anxiety of everyone present was growing. 

“Never.” Gerard glanced away from those stunning eyes to try and see what was happening. The doors were heavy and bolted, and there didn’t seem to be any life from within the building. 

“Are you nervous?” Frank’s question refocused his attention. When Gerard looked at him, he was grinning brightly. His apparent ease made Gerard calm down a bit too. 

“A bit.” He admitted, worrying his lower lip between his teeth for a second. “But mostly just because I don’t know what to expect with the whole… erotic thing.”

_Erotic haunted houses_ were the hot new thing on the BDSM scene. Gerard had heard of them before, but had assumed they were just a kinky halloween thing. From what he could gather, they were just normal haunted houses with some boobs thrown in, but The Devil’s Furnace promised to be an altogether different experience. It was a haunted house, sure, but the erotic part didn’t just stop at nudity. The website made it very clear that the actors could touch the ‘victims’, but not only that, could also be touched in return. 

There were strict rules on just how far the touching could go, but from what Gerard could tell, it was only really penetration that was strictly off limits. There had been extensive warnings on the site about ‘the possibility of sharing bodily fluids’, so Gerard suspected things might get… messy.

“I guess that’s why so many people have come with their partners.” Frank shrugged, like he wasn’t phased at all, and Gerard nodded his agreement. 

“Yeah, probably-”

A sudden scream pierced the air as one of the women of the group shrieked.

Gerard jumped and turned to look at her, then immediately followed her gaze back towards the main gates and jumped all over again.

Behind him, Frank gave a sharp intake of breath and suddenly gripped Gerard’s arm. 

“Oh fuck.” He gasped, before letting loose a high-pitched nervous giggle that made Gerard’s skin tingle.

Facing them all was a figure who had not been there before, Gerard was sure. He was dressed in a long black robe, with the hood pulled up and was holding a scythe that was taller than all of them, and very, very real. The blade was huge, wickedly sharp and glinting in the red light. 

“Sinners…” The figure spoke with a deep, clear voice that sent chills down Gerard’s spine. “On this journey ye shall be punished for thy sins... “ The hood moved, the creature staring at them all with eyes they could not see. 

Frank gripped tighter to Gerard’s arm, and instinctively Gerard stepped back into his hold. 

“Ye must read the terms of thy enslavement…” The figure produced a scroll from within it’s robes with a pale, long fingered hand. “Read them well, sinners, for any diversion from thy terms shall ensure a swift departure for thy soul.” The scroll unrolled to reveal a contract and a long space at the bottom for their signatures. 

“Beware all ye who consent to enter this place. The furnace shall burn thee, and the damned souls within shall touch thee and twist thy bodies to their carnal pleasures.” The figure beckoned with one finger, and a woman was nudged forward by her boyfriend to be the first to sign. 

Gerard noticed that she read the contract thoroughly, and then signed with a shaking hand. 

“I’ve never read any terms and conditions in my life,” Frank whispered conspiratorially into Gerard’s ear, “but I’m gonna read those.”

Gerard huffed a quiet laugh and nodded his agreement. 

The robed figure was beckoning at more people to come, and one by one they each stepped forward to read the contract and sign their names at the bottom. 

When it beckoned at Gerard, Frank gave him a helpful little shove and Gerard stumbled towards the figure.

His heart was like a jackrabbit in his chest, but he forced himself to focus as he quickly read the terms. They were more in depth than the ones on the website, warning of strobe lighting, loud noises, the potential for ‘exceedingly warm temperatures’ and ‘vomit inducing sights’. 

The rules on touching were very clear. The actors were in full control. Nudity was only allowed of the ‘sinners’ if they had been told to undress by the actors. They could touch an actor if given permission, but the actors were always allowed to touch them. Any and all sex acts not already a part of the tour, were forbidden until ‘the final dungeon’. 

The safe word was ‘mercy’.

Gerard took a deep breath and signed his name on the scroll. 

Once everyone in the group had finished signing their consent, the figure rolled up the scroll and then led the way to the wooden doors. 

It paused with a pale hand on the ring pull, and turned it’s shadowed head towards them all. 

“There shalt be no peace for the wicked, but if thou doth cry _mercy_ , I shall save thy soul.”

Gerard glanced at Frank and the man grinned impishly back at him. Gerard’s heart missed a beat. When he had booked to come tonight, it had mostly been motivated by the fact that he was going through something of a dry spell where his sex life was concerned… and he was a horror nerd with a bit of a fear kink… But he hadn’t _really_ expected to meet anyone. Certainly not someone as attractive and friendly as Frank. 

“Just in case I don’t get another chance to ask you…” Frank suddenly turned to whisper in Gerard’s ear, “meet me in the bar at the end?”

Gerard hadn’t realised there even _was_ a bar at the end, but he nodded his agreement without hesitation. 

It wasn’t a moment too soon - the heavy wooden doors were swinging open with the ugly screech of rusty hinges, sending a wave of heat over the group, and immediately they began to surge forward.

Gerard’s heart began to race and he followed along on autopilot, torn between excitement and fear. 

The doors opened up to a simple square room. The walls and floor were all made up of the same black bricks as the main building, and the space was so small that once everyone was inside and the doors swung back shut behind them, they were forced to stand pressed together like a can of sardines.

Gerard ended up with Frank pressed right against his side, his legs bracketing his hip. The room smelt dank and sour, and the air was humid, but Frank’s skin was cool and Gerard caught the scent of his cologne when he tried to turn and give them a little more room.

The robed figure hadn’t entered with them, and for a moment there was more confusion, until someone shouted “here!” and disappeared through a dark gap in the wall.

Gerard’s immediate reaction was trepidation. A feeling of _‘no way I’m going through there’_ , which of course was the point. He had been expecting actors dressed as demons, or some sort of freaky tour guide. Somehow, being left to figure it out alone made the whole experience feel even more chilling.

The whole group was hushed as they sidled one by one into the gap in the wall. Gerard hesitated as he and Frank approached, and looked to him questioningly. Frank looked perfectly calm, and he smiled as he gestured for Gerard to go first. 

Gerard licked his dry lips and nodded, turning to squeeze himself into the gap. It was tight and claustrophobic, but only for a moment. It sooned widened out into a normal sized staircase that went up in a square spiral, making it impossible to see what was around each corner. 

Gerard focused on the woman in front of him and followed her lead, his sweaty palm sliding over an iron handrail. 

The staircase was dark, only very dimly lit by lanterns that hung on every corner. They cast deep, flickering shadows, and as they climbed and turned and climbed and turned the sour smell began to morph into the more familiar smell of mildew, and the air began to cool.

The stairs seemed to go on forever, and with every corner Gerard expected it to end, or to hear some screams from above… The screams never came, and the stairs kept on climbing, until Gerard’s thighs were burning and his chest was heaving with the force of his panting. 

“Fuck… Me…” Frank’s exhausted voice floated up to Gerard a few steps below. “I need… to work out…” 

Gerard gave a breathless laugh in return, but was too exhausted to speak. His idea of fun was not climbing a staircase for all of eternity. Perhaps they really were in hell. He thought blithely how they really ought to warn people about the stairs on the website, and then the ground levelled out before him. 

Gerard was so pleased he had to resist the urge to collapse onto the stone floor and kiss it. Instead he took a moment to stretch out the kink of his spine and inhale a greedy lungful of air that tasted of mould, and then glanced over his shoulder to make sure Frank was okay. 

The group was still marching on ahead, following a long corridor that was too narrow for Gerard to see what lay beyond.

“Nothing… Is going to be… scarier than those stairs…” Frank griped as soon as he reached the top, reaching out to gratefully accept the hand Gerard offered him. He grinned at him, his cheeks flushed and brow damp, and Gerard felt a rush of attraction wash over him. 

“Bring on the demons huh?” Gerard wished he was one of those people who could come up with something smart and charming at the blink of an eye, but he wasn’t at the best of times, and certainly not after climbing up five billion stairs.

Still, Frank grinned at him with such genuine amusement that Gerard’s stomach fluttered with butterflies.

The rest of the group had almost entirely left them behind by that point, so Gerard hurried to catch up with them. He was still holding Frank’s hand, and Frank didn’t seem to mind, so he pulled him along with him down the corridor. 

There was a sharp turn at the end that came upon them suddenly. Gerard swung round it and stumbled into a large, brightly lit space that made him have to screw his face up and squint. 

“Get in line!” A loud, female voice barked at them. “Hurry up!”

Gerard’s heart missed a beat and then soared into his throat. His spine tingled unpleasantly as he was reminded of his school days, when a teacher would yell at him for being late or for forgetting his homework. It made him stumble to obey, hurrying to join the line he could only barely see at that point.

Frank kept close to him, and the rest of their group - who were lined up against the far wall - shuffled apart to make room for them in the middle. 

Gerard’s eyes were adjusting to the new lighting quickly, but even once he could see properly, it did nothing to calm his racing heart. 

This room was entirely different to the stairs and corridor they had seen so far. It was entirely white, with long strip lights in the ceiling and a shiny, hard floor. It reminded Gerard of a hospital, though there was nothing in there to suggest such a thing. 

The room was almost entirely empty, but for a bondage frame stood in the centre of the room. It was a St Andrews cross, made of clear perspex but spattered with red stains that were thicker on the bottom than on the top. The same red colour stained the white floor all around the cross, as if someone had been brutally murdered whilst tied to the frame. 

Beside the cross was the woman who had shouted at them. She was tall and slim, dressed in black leather trousers and a see-through latex bra. Gerard could see that both of her nipples were pierced, and the bars had little heart charms dangling off them, squashed behind the latex.

The woman was brandishing a whip, and she ran it slowly through her fingers as she walked slowly towards them all. Her heeled boots _tap, tap, tapped_ on the hard floor. 

“You.” The woman spoke softly, but with such an air of confidence that the man she addressed shuddered and shrunk beneath her gaze. “Will you get naked for me?”

Gerard was sure he wasn’t the only person blindsided by that question. He turned his head, watching with bated breath as the man trembled and glanced at his girlfriend beside him. 

“Eyes on me.” The dominatrix barked at him and pressed the handle of her whip beneath his chin. She pushed his head back, forcing his eyes on hers as she frowned at him and repeated her question. “Will you get naked for me?”

There was nothing obviously frightening about the woman. She was pale and blonde and didn’t look like she would be difficult to overthrow, but there was just _something_ about her that made her utterly terrifying. Gerard couldn’t blame the guy for stuttering and squeaking when he answered. 

“N - N - No… S - Sorry.”

Gerard expected the dominatrix to shout at him again, or maybe whip him or something, but she only ‘tsk’d at him and moved down the line to his girlfriend. 

“You.” She cupped the woman’s chin with her hand and tilted her own head back so she could glare down at her. “Will you get naked for me?” 

The woman looked like she actually considered it, and even from his spot several people away, Gerard could see the way she looked the dominatrix up and down first. At last though, she gave a timid shake of her head and the dominatrix moved on.

The next four people went through the same torment, with the dominatrix asking them to get naked, and all of them declining with varying levels of fear. 

No one was hurt or degraded for refusing, but Gerard still went cold all over when the woman’s boots came to a halt in front of him. She was taller than Gerard, which made him flush with embarrassment, and his breath caught in his throat when she touched his cheek with the end of her whip.

“Will you get naked for me?” She asked in that same, deadly soft tone she had used with everyone else. 

Gerard looked into her cold, blue eyes, and felt the hairs on his arms stand on end. He was almost tempted to say yes, just to see what would happen, but he wasn’t comfortable getting naked in front of a group of strangers - especially not before anyone else had, anyway - and so he too shook his head.

When the dominatrix moved onto Frank, it was clear pretty quickly that he was not feeling the same trepidation that everyone else was.

The dominatrix looked him up and down, her face passive, and slowly asked him, “will you get naked for me.”

Frank barely missed a beat, shrugging one shoulder nonchalantly as he said, “yeah, alright.”

Gerard’s eyes went wide and he stared at Frank as if he had lost his mind. A few people in the line gasped, and one woman actually squeaked. 

The dominatrix’s lips curled into a cruel smile and she beckoned for Frank to join her in the centre of the room. 

Gerard’s heart, which had been lodged in his throat, now dropped heavily into his stomach. Frank looked so little beside the dominatrix, and not even his grin and cheeky wink in Gerard’s direction could put him at ease. Frank seemed playful and fearless, two things which would get him eaten alive by any experienced dom, Gerard knew from experience.

“Take off your clothes.” The dominatrix ordered, circling Frank with slow, measured steps. She kept running the whip through her fingers, but didn’t try to use it at all. 

Frank didn’t look at her. He kept his eyes on Gerard as he lifted his t-shirt over his head and dropped it to the floor. 

Gerard’s mouth went dry and the back of his neck tingled with heat. Frank’s chest was tattooed, as were his hips, and when he dropped his hands to his belt Gerard was able to read his knuckles.

_Halloween_.

Gerard’s cock fluffed up a little in his jeans and he shifted uncomfortably against the wall. Everyone else was watching intently, but Gerard was pretty sure no one else was getting hard right now. He couldn’t help it though… Frank was looking right at him, as if he were giving him a private show, and he even swayed his hips a little as he loosened his belt and dropped his jeans.

Frank was wearing a pair of plain black briefs, perfectly normal and in no way deliberately erotic… Or at least that was what Gerard tried to tell his traitorous dick that was suddenly very, _very_ interested in the evening's proceedings.

Frank waited with his hands at his sides, still grinning at Gerard, until the dominatrix stood in his line of sight. 

“You’re not done.” She told him coolly. She pointed the handle of her whip at his crotch and quirked an eyebrow at him. “I said get naked.”

Frank met her eyes for a moment, gulped, and then nodded. He hooked both thumbs into the waistband of his briefs and stretched it out a little before slowly easing the garment down his legs.

The dominatrix was stood in Gerard’s way, and he leaned up onto his tiptoes to try and glimpse over her shoulder. A quick glance at everyone else told him that the fellow victims in his group were just as riveted as he was, so he didn’t feel so bad about trying to catch a glimpse.

“Now you have been laid bare in flesh, you must lay yourself bare in mind as well.” The dominatrix strolled around Frank, giving Gerard a front seat view to his naked body. “Confess your sins to us.”

Gerard’s jaw was hanging open and he quickly snapped it shut. He had gone hot all over and his hands felt clammy. He had seen plenty of naked men before, but never in as strange an environment as this, and it was turning him on more than he imagined it would.

Frank seemed unbothered by his nudity, though he did clasp his hands in front of his penis. The dominatrix saw and smacked them away, making Frank yelp and rub his knuckles. 

“Confess your sins.” The woman snapped at him again and this time he shook his head, his jaw clenched. 

“I don’t have anything to confess.” He told her with mock innocence. 

The dominatrix glared at him and circled around him again, her boots tapping away on the floor. 

Frank’s hands drifted automatically back to cover himself, and this time the dominatrix seized him by the wrist and dragged him across the floor towards the bondage cross.

“If you can’t keep your hands still, then I shall have to restrain you.”

She didn’t give Frank chance to try and protest. She pushed him back against the cross and used her feet to kick his legs apart. Frank didn’t fight back, and when she ordered for him to lift his arms he did so without complaint.

Gerard was really interested now, as were everyone else. His eyes were wide as he watched the woman secure Frank’s wrists, one by one, to the upper arms of the ‘X’ with thick, see-through pleather straps.

Frank’s torso elongated slightly, and Gerard noticed that his nipples had peaked. Frank flexed his fingers to test the tightness of the restraints and his breathing became a little heavier, visible in the motion of his chest.

The dominatrix was questioning him about his sins again, and Frank was pleading innocence, but Gerard was barely listening. He had been distracted by the dip of Frank’s armpit. It wasn’t a place on the body that usually attracted Gerard, and yet something in him then yearned to be allowed to touch Frank there. He wanted to trail his fingers through the dark hair and then follow the same path with his nose, to see if he was ticklish there; wanted to kiss from his ribs right up to his straining bicep and back down again; wanted to taste his sweat and bite at the tender flesh beneath his arm.

Gerard was so distracted that he only snapped out of his fantasies when the dominatrix produced a ball gag as if from nowhere. Gerard had been too busy looking at Frank to see where she got it from, but she was lifting it then towards Frank’s face.

“If you won’t confess your sins, then you don’t need your tongue.” She said darkly, and pushed the black rubber ball into Frank’s mouth.

Gerard’s cock was really thickening up then and it throbbed heavily in his tight jeans as Frank clamped down on the ball with his teeth.

The dominatrix secured the straps behind his head and then stepped back to look him over. 

“See what happens when you do not obey?” She said loudly, directing her words to the group still lined against the walls. 

Frank looked imploringly at Gerard, and the dominatrix flicked her whip so that it _snapped_ loudly against thin air. 

“Don’t look at him, look at me!” She barked, and stepped up to Frank again. “Or do I need to blindfold you?”

Frank obviously couldn’t reply, but the dominatrix read her answer in his wandering eyes. She strode across the room and retrieved a black silk blindfold from a niche in the outer corridor, and then returned to tie it over Frank’s eyes. 

Blindfolded, gagged and bound, the dominatrix completed the erotic display with a pair of silver nipple claps that she attached to Frank’s pert nipples. It made him groan inwardly and shrink back against the cross, his cock stiffening slightly until he was half hard.

Gerard was mesmerised.

The dominatrix talked to the group, pointing out that ‘this is what happens to sinners’, and Gerard’s mouth was watering. He wanted nothing more than to fall to his knees between Frank’s spread legs and suck his cock into his mouth. He wanted to tease him to an erection with his tongue, then suckle on each of his testes until he squirmed. 

“Now you look like an obedient pet.” The dominatrix told Frank, nudging his legs wider with the toe of her boot. “Shall we play with you, pet?” She turned to smile darkly at the group. “What do you think? I have another pet who will want to play with him… shall I bring him in?” She asked sweetly.

Gerard’s mind turned to the contract that had warned them that sexual acts were a part of the tour. Was this to be the first one? Was Frank going to be ‘played with’ in front of everybody? It frightened Gerard almost as much as it turned him on.

No one seemed willing to give the dominatrix an answer, but she clearly didn’t need one. 

She turned back to Frank and dropped down to balance on the balls of her feet. She buckled his ankles to the bottom of the cross, leaving him spread-eagled against the perspex, then stood back, placed two fingers into her mouth and whistled.

Immediately there was the sound of rattling chains and then the grating sound of metal on concrete. 

Gerard’s stomach filled with dread and the people either side of him shuffled in closer, the whole line of the group huddling into one another out of pure instinct. 

The grating sound was getting louder, almost to a deafening pitch, and as it got closer and closer, the sound of heavy breathing and clattering claws joined it.

Frank turned his head, trying to locate the source of the noise. He was visibly shaking, and he began to tug at the restraints around his wrists. Gerard watched him, his heart lodged firmly back in his throat, and then jumped in terror when a werewolf suddenly burst into the room.

The woman beside Gerard shrieked so loudly it made his ears ring, but he couldn’t blame her. The lights had started to flash rapidly, so that they only caught glimpses of the creature as it tore around the room, sniffing and slobbering as it darted back and forth.

Gerard pressed his back tight to the wall, so scared he could hardly breathe. The werewolf was covered in matted black fur, and had dripping fangs and claws as sharp as razors. It looked pretty damn real to Gerard, even when it came right up to him, but perhaps it was the flashing lights that made it that way. 

It didn’t matter. Gerard was crawling out of his skin with fear, and everyone in the line kept gasping and screaming every time the wolf came close. 

Hearing their cries of terror was making Frank writhe around on the cross. He tried to scream around the ball gag, his wrists and ankles yanking fiercely at the restraints.

_The safe word_ , Gerard thought wildly, _how will he say the safe word?_

He considered saying it himself to put an end to the scene, but what if Frank didn’t want it to end? Gerard looked at him, his fear was so palpable he could almost taste it. A few people in the group had started to call out to the dominatrix, begging her to ungag him and Gerard joined in with their pleas.

The dominatrix ignored them. Maybe she couldn’t hear them over the ferocious growls of the wolf?

The beast had been attracted to Frank by his writhing, it stalked towards him, the flashing lights making it’s movements appear disjointed and yet somehow more rapid. 

“Stop! Please, please stop! He can’t safe word!” Gerard cried, taking a wild step forward but it was too late.

The werewolf was between Frank’s legs, its jaws open wide. There was a loud, bloodcurdling scream that seemed to come from everywhere at once and blood sprayed across the floor from between Frank’s thighs.

The lights went out with a dull _pop_ and left them all in darkness.


	2. The Confession

A hand clamped down suddenly on Gerard’s shoulder, startling a scream out of his mouth. 

“Sinners.” A rasping voice spoke loudly into his ear. “Follow me.”

Gerard turned, following the source of the voice, and saw that the wall behind him had opened up to reveal a long, stone passageway. It was dark, but not so dark as the room he was currently stood in. The lights were still out, and when Gerard turned to look into the darkness, all he could see was a vague, dark shadow that was the St Andrews cross and possibly Frank’s body still upon it.

The woman next to Gerard was trembling, making soft, whimpering sounds as she stumbled forward. Everyone was moving, in that slow, disjointed way that people do when they’re afraid to go on but even more afraid of being left behind.

Gerard half angled to follow them, but couldn’t quite persuade his legs to move. He squinted into the dark room, desperately trying to make out Frank’s form, but it was impossible. The stone passage behind him wasn’t giving out enough light, and the darkness in the Dominatrix’s room was impenetrable now the strip lights were out.

Gerard knew, or supposed he _ought_ to know, that it was all part of the tour. Frank was probably another actor, planted into the group to take part… But what if he wasn’t? Gerard’s fear was making him paranoid enough that he couldn’t stop the notion that this was all just an elaborate ruse to lure unsuspecting victims into a murder den; like the hotel built by H.H Holmes, constructed purely so that he could murder its guests.

Gerard glanced back to the stone passageway. The group had almost left him behind, and he couldn’t even see who they were following. Gerard had caught only the briefest glimpse of the man, so he wasn’t sure who - or what - he had been.

“You,” Gerard jumped erratically when the dominatrix suddenly appeared, her face inches from his own, “why are you still here? Didn’t you hear your instructions?” She cracked her whip, the leather snapping loudly in the quiet and making Gerard flinch away from her. 

“I - I -”

“Do you want to play with my pet, is that it?” The dominatrix lifted her free hand and stroked her knuckles tenderly over Gerard’s cheek. “I don’t like to feed him twice in one day but…”

A hulking, black shadow appeared behind the dominatrix. Gerard could only make out pointed ears and clawed fingers silhouetted in the gloom, but it was enough. He turned and fled down the stone passageway, running as fast as he could go.

A soft, scraping noise came from behind him, like stone grating on stone, but he was too afraid to look back.

The stone passageway veered round to the right, and when Gerard followed it he caught up with the rest of the group just in time to enter another dark, square room.

“Sit, sinners.” The man who had grabbed him was visible again, hovering at the back of the room beside a plain wooden door. He was dressed all in black, with black hair and black nails and black eyes… the only colour on him was the white tab of his collar. 

_A priest_. Gerard wanted to be unimpressed by lack of originality, but he was so wound up already that even the demonic priest was making him impossibly nervous.

The priest gazed at them all with a cold, blank expression. There were two wooden benches lining opposite walls, and the group slowly split into two to sit down. Gerard perched on the end of the bench nearest him, beside the trembling woman who had been beside him in the dominatrix’s room, and opposite a man who was clearly trying his best not to show how affected he was.

Gerard swallowed thickly and gazed around at his fellow victims. Everyone was huddled in close, keeping their eyes down away from the priest, or carefully stealing glances at one another. No one dared to speak. In other haunted houses Gerard had been in, there was always that one smart ass who tried to throw the actors off their games, but already everyone here was so invested in the Devil’s Furnace that no one made a sound.

The priest slowly looked at them all, turning his head this way and that, his expression never changing. At length, he took a deep breath and spoke in his deep, rasping voice; 

“If you do not wish to fall further into hell, then now is your chance to confess your sins and save your soul.” He turned so that he could lay a hand on the knob of the door, twisting it loose but not opening it just yet. “Enter alone and give an honest confession, and you shall be saved.”

The priest turned to the woman nearest him and motioned for her to stand. She did so, and looked warily back at her wife as the priest guided her gently through the door. 

“Go my child,” he told her solemnly, “may God have mercy on your soul.”

The woman seemed to hesitate just inside the door, as if she had only just realised that she really was supposed to go on alone and didn’t want to, but it was too late. The priest shut the door behind her, and then stood against it like a creepy bodyguard. He stared dead ahead, and said nothing more. 

Silence fell over the group.

Gerard licked his dry lips and flicked his eyes left and right. The room they were in was plain, smelling faintly of damp. There was nothing to entertain them as they waited, holding their breath and wondering what had become of the woman. 

“This is weird…” Someone whispered at the end of the opposite bench. 

The tension grew, fear making the air thick, but it soon eased again when the priest said nothing. 

“It’s not what I expected.” Another voice, closer to Gerard, piped up. Now that it was clear they were allowed to speak, others began to murmur their agreement, and Gerard found himself nodding along.

“I thought it would be more… erotic?”

“Me too.” The woman beside Gerard agreed quickly, glancing up. “More BDSM and less - AAAGH!”

The woman’s shriek pierced Gerard’s ear, making him jump and wince. He instinctively clapped both hands over his ears, his shoulders drawing up as he huddled into himself. A few other people gasped and screamed in response, but it was clear they were just reacting to the first woman. 

“Oh my God!” She squawked, her knees drawn up onto the bench. “Something just touched me I swear!”

“AAIIEEE!” Another scream piped up from the other end of the room, and this time several people yanked their feet up onto the bench. Gerard lowered his hands an inch or two from his ears, staring around with wide eyes as another man yelled and jumped up like he’d been electrocuted, and a young man in the middle of the opposite bench squawked and almost toppled onto the floor. 

“What the fuck?”

“What is happening?”

“AAAGH!”

All across the benches, people were jumping up or lifting their feet or curling up into tight balls and screeching. Gerard couldn’t bear the noise. It was making his pulse race and his breath come short, terrifying him so much so that when soft fingers brushed against the nape of his neck it was almost enough to send him into cardiac arrest.

“MotherFUCK!” He yelped, jerking forward so hard he almost gave himself whiplash. He turned quickly, his eyes wide with terror, but there was nothing behind him but the stone wall.

Another scream made him turn again to see the man opposite him jolt to the side as if someone had jabbed him in the ribs. Then another man just one person away jerked his hips up like someone had touched his lower back. The benches had become a mess of writhing bodies, and the room was full of terrified gasps and shouts and screams.

The priest stayed silent and still through it all.

“Oh God, oh God, I can’t do this - _Mercy! Mercy!_

Immediately, everyone turned to stare at the woman who had cried out. She was curled up tight, huddling her knees to her chest with her feet on the bench. There was a split second of calm silence, and then Gerard almost wet himself when the Death figure from the courtyard appeared as if by magic.

He said nothing as he approached the woman, his robes billowing behind him. He was still holding his ginormous scythe, and honestly Gerard couldn’t blame the woman for bursting into tears at the sight of him. 

“Come, child.” The figure held out a bony hand, and the woman slowly unfolded herself to take it. The robed figure drifted back towards the stone passageway, pulling the petrified woman along with him without a single word more.

Everyone watched the pair of them go, their eyes wide and lips parted, as if no one quite believed it was really happening.

Gerard felt a pang of sorrow in his chest as the woman scuttled past him, and the urge to reach out and touch her was almost too much to bear. He wanted to tell her it was okay, but he didn’t even know her, so he kept his mouth shut. 

As soon as she had disappeared into the darkness, the tension in the room redoubled. Everybody knew that they were about to be terrified again, but the scream that next filled the air came from behind the wooden door.

Gerard, and everyone else, turned to stare in the direction of the cry. It was the woman who had gone to confess her sins, it had to be. He scream seemed to echo on for eternity, ringing in their ears, until Gerard wasn’t sure whether it was just tinnitus, or even real at all.

“And now you,” the priest twisted the door handle and beckoned at the next person on the bench, “come and make your confession.”

Gerard was starting to think that this whole thing was too much for him to handle, and the wife of the previous woman looked like she was thinking the exact same thing. She tried to see past the doorway, through the darkness inside, but in the end she simply stood back and shook her head. 

“N - No, I can’t.” She took a deep breath, composing herself as much as possible. She was ghostly pale and wan, and no one was really surprised when she too used the safe word. “I want out of here. Mercy.”

Two more people stood up and agreed, muttering _mercy_ too, so this time when the robed figure returned, he escorted all three of them away at once.

Somehow, seeing them leave made Gerard’s racing heart begin to ease. 

_It’s okay_ he told himself, taking a deep breath and steeling his nerves, _we can go anytime we like_.

This sentiment seemed to pass through the group, as the next person invited to go into confession did so without complaint. They did hesitate in the doorway, but only for a heartbeat.

Once the door was shut behind them, the rest of the group were given just a small restbite, and then the touching started up again.

They were ready for it this time.

Gerard pulled his feet up onto the bench in anticipation, and locked all of his muscles until he was one tight ball of steely determination. He closed his eyes and tried to block out the screams and squawks of his comrades, pursing his lips so that he didn’t make a sound whenever he was grabbed or poked or caressed by hands that seemed to reach from all around him.

He couldn’t quite make himself stop jumping every time someone touched him, but he figured he was still doing better than most.

When his turn came to enter the confession room, he was mostly glad to get away from the fingers that kept digging into his ribs and scratching over his neck. He jumped to his feet and hurried to the door, gazing warily at the priest as he passed him. 

“May God have mercy on your soul.” The priest told him solemnly, as he had with every other victim, and then shut the door tight behind him.

Gerard hovered just beyond the door, so that he could have a moment to let his eyes adjust, but it was unnecessary.

What he had thought would be a dark, small room, was in fact a large space done up to look like the inside of a Catholic church. There were stained glass windows depicting grotesque images of demons and crucifixions, and a baptism pool that appeared to have a young woman floating in it.

All around the room candles were flickering in candelabras, and floating between them were ghostly nuns that made soft, wailing sounds as they moved.

Gerard swallowed thickly, trying to stem his fear. He paid attention to the less frightening details, like the smell of incense and the warmth of the air on his skin. It was much warmer here than in the stone room just beyond. 

By now several of the group had already visited this room, but there was no one around. Gerard had heard screaming from each of them and his stomach dropped. Had they all safe worded? What could possibly be so terrifying? Just wondering was enough to make him feel panicked, and it was with a supreme amount of courage that he managed to force himself to move towards the confessional booth waiting in the middle of the room.

Gerard stepped inside, his heart in his throat, and sat down on the simple wooden seat. 

“Welcome my son.” The voice that spoke from the other side of the grate was soft and female, not frightening at all. Gerard dared to relax slightly. “Tell me your sins.”

Gerard opened his mouth, and then faltered. _His sins?_ He really didn’t know what to say. He peered at the separation grate, hoping for a clue, but the other side of the booth was so dark there could have been no one there and he wouldn’t have known.

“Uh… My uh… My sins?” 

“Yes, my child.” The woman had a slow, almost dreamy way of speaking, like how a child might imitate a ghost. “What brings you to this place?”

_“Lie to her.”_

This voice seemed to come from behind Gerard, and was most definitely male. It was deep and dark, with a thick accent that was familiar though Gerard couldn’t quite place it. His body jerked and his heart stumbled in its rhythm, a shiver prickling down his spine. 

“I - I don’t-”

“Do you have lustful thoughts, my son?” The woman asked gently. 

_“Tell her no.”_ The man encouraged, his voice so close that Gerard could practically feel his breath on his ear. 

“N - No.” He stuttered, too afraid to do anything other than what he was told. 

“Have you thought immoral things at all in the past hour?” The woman asked in that same, dreamy tone. 

Gerard thought this oddly specific, but then, he supposed the whole point of the dominatrix was that they all would have been having immoral thoughts, and a lot more recently than an hour ago too. 

“No -” Gerard tried to speak but was cut off by that silky, deep voice whispering in his ear again. 

_“Liar…”_ It purred, a smile clear in the tone, _“you liked my little pet’s show didn’t you?”_ A hand joined the voice now, warm and large on Gerard’s chest. It made him jump, but he stayed facing forward, his eyes wide again. 

“No.” He blurted out without thinking, and the man laughed in his ear again. 

_God his voice_. He sounded like he must be beautiful. His voice was thick and silky like honey, weaving around Gerard like a spider spinning a web. The accent, he realised, was Scottish. The hand on his chest was large and firm, completely masculine. He even smelled good; there was the faintest scent of spicy cologne coming from behind Gerard that made his eyelids flutter.

_“Was it the dominatrix you liked?”_ The man asked, so close now that Gerard was sure he could feel his chest on his back, _“or was it the boy?”_

Gerard didn’t even hesitate. “The boy.” He answered, his breath coming in short, hungry gasps as another hand joined the first, circling around his throat this time. 

_“I thought as much”_ That voice was stunning, doing ungodly things to Gerard. His fraught nerves didn’t know whether to be frightened or turned on, though his dick was plumping up in his jeans. He would have been embarrassed, if he wasn’t so damn terrified. 

_“Tell her you’re an innocent. Tell her you don’t have a sin to confess.”_ The man spoke more firmly this time, and there was the ghostly sensation of teeth almost touching Gerard’s jaw. _“Do it, and I’ll reward you.”_

Gerard was fairly certain this was a trap of some sort, but he hurried to obey, eager for more of those hands on his body. The fingers around his neck flexed and he tipped his head back, silently begging for more. He was vaguely aware that other people probably didn’t act like such a slut, but it had been ages since he’d been touched even remotely erotically, and he was gagging for it.

The man chuckled in his ear, soft and low, and Gerard was about ready to cream his pants.

“I - I don’t have anything to confess.” He choked out, his voice strained and a little high-pitched. “I’m innocent.”

“Liar.” The woman’s dreamy tone sounded harsh now, more like a hiss than a sigh. “I sense the darkness in you… I know that you hear Him in your ear… Turn away from Satan, child. Turn back towards the light.”

Oh. _Oh_. Now Gerard understood. This man was the devil on his shoulder, encouraging deceit, tempting him with shadowy promises. So did that make the woman the other side of the same coin? Was she the angel to his devil? The voice of sweet reason?

If so, they should have made her more tempting. She was nothing but a voice behind a screen, and this… Devil… Was solid and warm and scratching a short nail ever so delicately along Gerard’s adams apple.

_“Good…”_ The man drawled into Gerard’s ear, the hand on his chest dipping past the collar of his shirt to drift casually towards one nipple. Gerard’s cock was really starting to pay attention, and his nipple had become a tight, eager nub before the hand even reached it. 

“Don’t listen to his promises, turn away from darkness!” Even the shrill, desperate pleas of the hidden woman wasn’t enough to make Gerard turn away from the fingertip that circled around his nipple, touching almost curiously. 

_“Do you want more?”_ The man spoke so softly, so sweetly… Gerard’s head was swimming. Ten minutes ago he’d been huddled up in terror, and now he was sinking back into the arms of a faceless stranger, starting to pant as clever fingers flicked and pinched at his pointed nipple. 

“Yes…” He gasped, his cock starting to throb and stiffen in his jeans, “ _yes_ , more.”

_“Then swear your allegiance to me.”_ The man tightened his grip ever so slightly around Gerard’s throat, not enough to cut off circulation, but just enough for him to feel the pressure of his palm against his windpipe. _“Swear your soul to me, and I’ll give you what you desire…”_

Gerard probably wouldn’t have even thought twice if it _was_ the real Satan. He was desperate for more and dangerously close to getting off on nothing more than the hint of asphyxiation and some light nipple play. 

“Yes, yes,” he gasped, his heart racing now for entirely new reasons, “yes I swear it.”

Suddenly, the hands disappeared. The warm presence of a body close to his own disappeared and Gerard was left entirely alone. He realised it just in time for a light to glow from below the separation grate, shining up to cast a ghoulish face into stark shadow. 

_“GET OUT!”_ The woman’s voice was warped, like a thousand voices layered over one another. Her face - that of a nun, in full habit - was lit by the underlights to show sunken eye sockets and cheekbones, her teeth long and sharp and dripping with blood. _“GET OUT OF THIS PLACE!”_

Gerard didn’t need telling twice. He fell from the confessional booth, stumbling over his own feet in his haste. The image of the nuns horrific face seemed burned into his retinas, so that it was all he could see.

He ran blindly, almost crashing into one of the candelabras and stopping only because one of the weeping nuns steadied him.

Gerard looked up into her face and screamed at the top of his lungs. She too had the sharp teeth and sunken eyes of the nun in the booth, her skin a waxy blue colour, like she’d died years ago.

Gerard’s scream became a sob and he jerked away from the nun’s hands, running to the left. 

There was a door dead ahead, swinging open with a loud creak as if to say _here, in here_. Gerard didn’t have time to consider whether it was another trap. He was utterly alone, separated from the group that had started to feel like a safety blanket and surrounded by demonic nuns who were drifting towards him with hands outstretched.

_“Sinner…”_ They hissed at him, in that awful, layered voice like something out of the exorcist. It made Gerard’s skin crawl, and he tore towards the open door without a second thought. 

The nuns moved in behind him, coming from him at all sides, and it was only once Gerard skidded through the open doorway and heard it clang shut behind him that he realised they had been herding him through it all along.

_Another trap_ he realised, his stomach going tight and making him feel nauseous. He was in darkness again, but before his panic could reach a hysterical pitch, flaming torches burst to life on the walls either side of him.

Gerard’s muscles convulsed, making his nausea worse and he groaned, pressing both hands to his cheeks. He was burning up, and his hands felt clammy with sweat. Ahead of him was another long corridor, stretching on to God only knew where.

Gerard felt ready to cry. He was entirely alone, scared senseless, and still kind of turned on… Ahead of him anything could be waiting. He considered crying mercy, but even if the robed figure came for him here, he wasn’t sure he could handle being escorted back past those nuns.

His only choice was clear.

He walked on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your kind words so far! Honestly I have been blown away by people's excitement for this fic, I knew the idea was sound (thanks Ry!) but I didn't imagine it would have such an overwhelming positive response. I sincerely hope I can keep up to everyone's expectations, and thank you all again for being so wonderful!
> 
> (May it also be noted, since I doubt I'll get chance to explicitly say it in the story - Mr sexy-hands-Scottish-accent-man is (of course) Grant Morrison. Because Ry and I agreed he should appear somewhere, so here he is, and it is not the last we'll see of him. But that is all I shall say about that ~wink
> 
> XO


	3. The Judgement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SQUICK ALERT: This chapter contains sounding and the use of penis plugs (inserting things into the urethra of the penis). If this is a squick for you, then please skip the end of the chapter. 
> 
> That's right folks, things are finally getting kinky! I am super excited, but also very sleep deprived (lots of work drama to be dealing with in my real life) and this chapter has not been proof read because I need to be up for work in five hours ~sobs~ 
> 
> Please bear with me for the inevitable typos, and thank you all as ever for your love and encouragement. I'm having a blast, and I hope you guys are too! <3

Gerard followed the flaming torches along the corridor, his steps slow and measured. He had his arms wrapped around himself, and he was breathing as shallow as he could to try and keep himself as silent as possible. 

He hated being alone, and he yearned for his group. He shuffled to the end of the corridor where he came across another door but with no one around to urge him into it, he was too afraid to open it.

Gerard was faced with something of a conundrum… He knew that the only way on was through that door, but he had no idea what might be on the other side. If it was another dominatrix or something like that, then he was sure he could handle it. But what if it was more nuns? Or worse? Was he going to have to venture on alone indefinitely? Would he ever see the group, or Frank again?

The longer Gerard waited, the more his fear increased. His pulse was getting quicker and his breathing had become short and sharp. He could feel he was building himself into a panic attack, and became frustrated with himself. 

He would _not_ be so ridiculous as to panic when there was absolutely nothing going on. He would _not_ have to safe word when stood in an empty hallway, facing a door. 

Determined to be brave, Gerard grabbed the handle and swung the door open fast, before he could hesitate again.

He wasn’t sure what he had expected, but he certainly hadn’t expected _this_.

The door led to a wide, cavernous courtroom. Like the kind you see on TV, with dark wood panelling everywhere and tiered seating for a jury and an elevated podium for the judge. Instead of a witness stand, there was a square slab in the middle of the room, directly in line with the judge’s box.

At the back of the room, beside the door, was a wooden bench, and sat on the bench were the people who had gone before Gerard into the confessional.

“Hey!” Gerard burst out in surprise, irrationally thrilled to see them. 

“Hi.” One of the women - the very first to have entered the room - giggled and beckoned for him to come and sit with them. “How you doing? Okay?”

“I think so.” Gerard felt relief washing over him like a comforting breeze. He sank gratefully onto the bench, grinning sheepishly at the woman and the three others sat with her. “That room was something else huh?”

“I nearly cried.” Another woman laughed nervously, and Gerard could see her cheeks were still a bit flushed with fear. “When that nun in the booth appears - oh my God.” 

Gerard sympathised completely. 

“I just about shit my pants.” One of the men agreed, though he looked far more relaxed now. “I was already freaked out by that dude feeling me up…”

“I quite liked it.” It was a blonde woman who spoke then. She was the smallest of the entire group, and Gerard had noticed her looking a bit weepy when she’d gone through to confessional. She looked sort of spritely now. 

“Yeah but I’m not gay.” The man sniffed haughtily, and Gerard felt a prickle of fear that was far more real and much colder than any he’d felt so far. It was the kind of fear that made you truly wary; the kind that you _believed_ might mean danger. “I mean, you know what I mean, right?” The guy looked at Gerard expectantly. Gerard opened his mouth, but his throat had gone tight and he couldn’t speak. 

“I’m a lesbian and I liked it.” The first woman spoke loudly, drawing the mans attention to her instead. “It’s not like the guy was getting his dick out.” She scoffed, and then she flashed Gerard a cheeky grin. 

Gerard decided he liked her.

“Whatever…” The guy grumbled, and Gerard scooted subtly closer to the first woman and away from the man. 

“I heard my wife bailed on me.” The woman said conversationally, looping her arm with Gerard’s and holding onto him with a smile. “Fuckin’ bitch, I knew she would.” Despite her words, her tone was full of love and Gerard couldn’t help but smile back. 

“I think there’s a bar at the end…” He said slowly, “you’ll be able to catch up with her there.”

“Pfft, I’m gonna leave her here all night to face it on her own like she has me.” She scoffed, though she was clearly joking. “I’m Lyn by the way. Was that werewolf guy your boyfriend?” 

“Frank? Oh, n - no, I only just met him.” Gerard’s cheeks went bright pink and he looked nervously back at the ‘but I’m not gay’ guy, but he was sat with his arms folded and was ignoring them.

“I wonder if he was a plant.” Lyn said thoughtfully, gazing around the courtroom with curious eyes. “I wonder if there are _more_ plants.”

Gerard hadn’t really considered it. He’d been too busy running for his life. Now though, it seemed they were being allowed a moment to catch their breath and compose themselves. 

“What do you think is going to happen next?” He asked Lyn curiously, looking around the room. There were no actors in here, or anything to indicate whether they should stay or move on. 

“I think we’re going to be judged.” Lyn shrugged. “I tried the other door, but it’s locked, so I guess we wait.”

The group went quiet for a moment, each of them thoughtful. Gerard was wondering what sort of scene would be played out in here. If Lyn was right, and they were to be judged, then who would judge them? And what might their punishment be if they were found guilty of a crime? Gerard wasn’t sure whether to be excited or afraid.

“Maybe there’ll be another dominatrix.” The guy spoke up again, sounding doubtful. “That was kinda cool.”

Lyn snorted quietly and shared a look with Gerard, as if they were both privy to some inside joke. 

“I hope the scariest stuff is over.” The blonde lady rubbed at her arms, as if she were cold, though this room was warmer than any they had been in so far. It was almost pleasant. 

“I doubt it.” Lyn looked anxiously at the locked door. “This building is huge, if we have to go through every room then we’ve got a long night ahead of us.”

Gerard nodded slowly, thinking back to the website. It had plainly stated in its description that only one tour a night took place, due to its length. He had assumed they’d be there for hours. 

“So what brought us all here?” Lyn asked curiously before they could all fall silent again. She waited, but no one seemed forthcoming, so she answered first. “Okay, I’m Lyn and I like performing arts and burlesque.” She offered with a playful grin. “I came here because I heard it is _the_ best interactive horror experience going.” 

Lyn leaned forward, looking expectantly down the line. Gerard clammed up and drew in on himself, hoping he wasn’t expected to answer too. 

“I’m Jack and I came here to see boobs.” Mr ‘I’m not gay’ didn’t make Gerard feel any more comfortable. 

“Amazing.” Lyn said dryly, rolling her eyes and looking to the lady next to the little blonde woman. “How about you? Boobs too?”

“No.” The lady giggled and blushed. “I’m a major in movie production. I’m writing my thesis on vintage horror, and I thought this might be fun…” She wrinkled her nose up, considering for a moment before grinning again, “it’s scarier than I thought but I quite like it!” She sat up straight, bouncing in her seat a little. “Oh! And my name is Lauren.”

“I’m Anna,” the teary woman next to her waved up a hand, “I came here for the BDSM, and I’m going to leave here traumatised.” 

Everyone laughed softly, though Gerard wasn’t entirely sure that Anna had been kidding.

“And you?” Gerard hadn’t realised that everyone was now staring at him. He blushed pink and shrank back against the wall behind him, but there was nowhere to hide. 

“I - I’m Gerard.” He tried to think of a reason as to why he had come here, and alone as well… Anything that wasn’t the truth. 

_I’m Gerard and I’m so desperate to get laid that this seemed like a great idea_ was only going to make him sound like a pervert. 

“I uh… I’m big into horror…” He said carefully, looking down at his feet. It wasn’t even a lie, he _did_ love horror, but somehow it still felt like a falsehood. “I’ve never done anything like this before but um, it’s kinda cool.” 

_Cool in that shit-your-pants-scary kind of way._

“Great.” Lyn smiled warmly and squeezed his arm, as if they were best friends. “So we’re all intelligent people, into our movies and absolutely not here for the kinky scenes or the big orgy at the end.” She said brightly, her eyes twinkling. “Except for Jack, obviously, who’s just here for boobs.”

Jack scoffed and shrugged. “I’m not getting involved in the orgy at the end, if I have to touch a dude.”

“Thank God.” Lyn sighed dramatically. “Men everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief.”

Gerard barked a laugh before he could stop himself, and then promptly cut himself off. Jack glared at him, but he didn’t say a word, which steadied Gerard’s nerves a bit. 

As they waited they went on talking… or at least, Lyn talked and everyone else mostly listened. Gerard liked her more and more, finding her witty and charming the more she spoke, and by the time the next sinner appeared he had almost forgotten he was in a haunted house at all.

“Oh fuck, that was horrible.” The man who had stumbled through the door looked equal parts surprised and thrilled to see them all; a look Gerard was sure must have been on his own face when he’d stepped through the door too. 

“Sit down friend,” Lyn grinned at him, “I think we’re safe for now.”

The man, they quickly learned, was called Quinn, and was more than happy to admit that he was there for the bondage and basically nothing else. 

“I’m a bit of a coward to be honest, but my dom loves horror and I love making him happy so...” he shrugged his shoulders and grinned at them. “Aaron should be along pretty soon, he’s been basically fine so far, a bit jumpy but not shitting himself like I am.”

Quinn was something of a talker, which Gerard liked, but Jack looked less than enthused about. 

“Aaron’s your dom?” Lauren asked softly, and Quinn nodded. 

“Uhuh.” He grinned. “I wanted my girlfriend Beth to come too, but she’s an even bigger wimp than I am, so she stayed at home.”

Gerard smiled softly, rather enjoying the way Jack’s face twisted up in confusion as his troll brain tried to work out the mechanics that meant a man could be a submissive for another man and still have a girlfriend. Everyone else, Gerard was glad to see, accepted this information with no struggle at all.

“I hope they do some stuff with wax. That’s kind of my thing.” Quinn went on cheerfully, apparently with no concern that he might be oversharing. “Or food, is that too vanilla? I love getting food involved.”

“Can’t beat a bit of whipped cream on a cherry.” Lyn grinned deviously. “Or… I dunno… A banana?” She shrugged with a laugh. Everyone but Jack (who was still looking confused) laughed along with her.

Gerard found himself grinning like an idiot, his nervousness easing away until he felt as happy and comfortable as he would when he was going out with friends. Their little group was bonding quickly, and as each new sinner came stumbling through the door, they were welcomed into the fold.

By the time the last person had taken their seat, it became clear that they had lost a few more to the nuns. Aaron made it through, and was delighted when he saw that Quinn had been brave too. He rewarded him with a soft peck on the forehead, his hand fisted into his hair to yank his head back. Quinn melted into the touch, his lips parting on a happy little sigh and Gerard’s stomach went tight with want.

Even a forehead kiss would do it for him now, it would seem. Especially one that involved a bit of hair pulling… Gerard kind of liked hair pulling.

He was still considering this when a loud, squealing creak alerted them to the opening of a heavy door. They all turned to look at the door Lyn had already claimed to be locked, but it was still shut. 

“All rise for the honourable judge Candy.”

Gerard stared around stupidly, getting to his feet along with everyone else whilst he was still trying to find the source of the voice. There was no obvious door, other than the one they had all come through, and the one that was locked, but there must have been another door hidden behind the judge’s podium because figures started to emerge from either side of the wooden block.

Gerard instinctively shuffled back and he felt Lyn’s grip on his arm tighten as grotesque creatures strolled into the room. The sinners all pressed closer together, huddling in tight for safety as the demons surged towards them. 

“ _Sinners!_ ” They hissed, over and over, fizzing with excitement. “ _Sinners! Sinners!_ ”

Gerard flinched and turned his face away as one demon pressed right up close to him and touched his cheek with a hot, sweaty palm. The creature was hunchbacked, with bulging eyes and webbed fingers. It’s teeth were sharp and yellow, and it twitched it’s head from side to side like some horrific wind-up toy.

Gerard swallowed hard and refused to react, looking instead at the zombie-like girl who was stroking Lyn’s hair. Lyn was trembling and she had her lips pursed tight to keep in a scream. The girl had a face that looked like melted candle wax and her fingers left a bloody residue in Lyn’s hair. 

Gerard decided she was worse than the frog-demon touching him, so he flicked his eyes back to it. As soon as he gazed into its face it grinned and lopped away, half hopping and half dragging it’s one lame leg towards the jury benches.

Gerard inhaled deeply, trying to relax and not get worked up. He glanced down the line to see that everyone else was getting touched by a demon too, and no two demons were the same. 

There were demons that looked like skeletons, and demons that looked like children with ghostly blind eyes. One looked like a doll with a turnkey in her back, and another had the typical leathery wings of a bat. All of them were terrifying, but they didn’t torment them long before they all left to take their seats.

Gerard was left with a nauseous feeling in his stomach. There was a sour smell to the air now that seemed to stick in the back of his throat. He wanted to ask Lyn if she smelled it too, but he didn’t dare open his mouth.

Instead, he faced forward, ready for the arrival of the judge, and jumped in surprise when he realised there was a figure already seated at the judge’s podium.

“Sinners,” the figure spoke in a high clear voice, and a dim gas lamp suddenly burst to life behind her, “welcome to your trial.” 

Gerard felt the way every one down the line relaxed slightly. Judge Candy was another dominatrix - a tall woman, with black hair cut into a severe bob and wearing a simple black pencil dress made of latex. She was incredibly beautiful, despite her harsh expression, and not frightening at all.

“What are the charges?” She called out to the room at large, her dark eyes taking in the line of sinners with no expression. 

There was barely a moment’s hesitation before the demonic nun from the confessional appeared, seeming to float into the room without walking. 

Gerard’s heart missed a beat and then made up for it by beating at ten times it’s normal pace. He shuddered and his stomach went tight, his hands starting to sweat as the nun came to a halt barely three paces in front of them. 

“I charge these sinners as liars, adulterers and allies of the devil.” She hissed, turning slowly to give each and every one of them a hard stare that made the hairs on Gerard’s arms stand up. “There is not a pure soul amongst them.”

“Excellent.” Judge Candy steepled her fingers with a slow smile. “How do you plead?” She asked the group at large.

Gerard glanced left and right, wondering if anyone dared to speak. They had all become a little braver after making it this far and having time to bond, but no one looked brave enough to argue with the accusations of the nun. 

“How about you?” Judge Candy pointed to a woman at the far end of the line. “How do you plead?”

The woman, a short red-head who was clinging onto her best friend with shaking hands looked mortified at being chosen. Gerard could clearly see the battle in her expression as she struggled to decide whether pleading guilty or not-guilty would yield her better results. 

“Well?” It was the nun who pressured her for an answer, gliding towards her so quickly that the woman let out a shriek and hid her face in her friends shoulder. 

“Guilty!” She cried, trembling from head to foot. “I plead guilty!”

“Guilty?” The judge repeated, and then started to laugh. “Do you know what happens to impure souls in the furnace?” 

Judge Candy rose to her feet and stepped down from her booth. She was tall, and wearing black stiletto heels that made her tower over everyone else in the room. “Come here, girl!”

The nun, blessedly, moved aside and shrank back into the darkness so that everyone’s attention turned to the redhead who was now stood, shaking, before the dominatrix. 

“Tell me your name girl.” Candy demanded, lifting the redhead’s chin with a hand cupped beneath it. 

“L - Lilly.” 

“Lilly?” Candy seemed to find this amusing. “After the flower… You know, the lilly is a symbol of death.” Candy ran her thumb slowly across Lilly’s lower lip. “How fitting.”

The jury of demons began to titter and jeer, hissing insults and threats at the poor girl who looked ready to faint. 

“And are you sure, dear Lilly, that you are impure of soul?” Candy asked her softly, her eyes boring into Lilly’s. “Are you quite sure that you want to plead guilty?”

Lilly thought about it for a moment, her shoulders and back tense, and then slowly gave the smallest shake of her head. 

“N - Not guilty.” She decided, her voice wavering. “I’m n - not guilty.”

“So you disagree that you are a liar?” Candy pushed, narrowing her eyes slightly. “Nor an adulterer?”

“I’m not.” Lilly spoke with more confidence, staring up at Candy with wide, blue eyes. “I swear.”

“And what about an ally of the devil?” Candy began to smile ever so slightly. “Do you swear that you made no allegiance to Him?”

Lilly opened her mouth to reply but then hesitated. A myriad of emotions flitted over her face and Gerard had no doubt in his mind that she had sworn her allegiance to the stranger in the booth, just like he had. 

Gerard’s blood began to run cold and he swallowed hard, wondering what her punishment would be. What _their_ punishment would be. Would they suffer more than those who had resisted? Had _anyone_ resisted?

Lilly still hadn’t answered, and Candy was beginning to tut as she shook her head slowly from side to side. She looked pleased, in a horrible, smug kind of way, and the demonic jury were starting to jeer again. 

“Guilty!” One of them shouted, and the others quickly took up the cry. “Guilty! Guilty! Feed her to the wolves!”

“Bring out my pets.” Candy didn’t need to raise her voice or so much as click a finger. At her request the sound of that heavy door creaking open again echoed around the chamber, and a soft rumbling followed it before four werewolves appeared - two from either side of the judge’s box.

Gerard felt Lyn inhale sharply next to him, and his own breath caught in his throat. They could see the wolves more clearly now, walking on two legs and slowly circling the room with muzzles up to scent the air.

Gerard knew it was only costumes and make-up, but it was so incredibly realistic. Even whilst the icy hand of fear was gripping him, he felt a flush of admiration towards whatever team had created the special effects. 

The wolves were huge, all of them at least seven feet tall, with the sharp lightning shape of thigh-into-calf that made their walking look so monstrous. They had large, dog like paws for feet, and their hands stretched out into long, clawed fingers.

Their heads were covered in hair that swept like a long mane down their spines, and then into bushy tails. Their chests were also hairy, but very clearly human, with bulging pectorals and sharply muscled abdomens. Some of them had scars along their stomachs and chests, and some of them had vague tattoos just visible beneath the thinner hair on their torsos.

Their pointed ears and long muzzles completed the look, and Gerard was slightly ashamed of the little kick of arousal he felt when one of them tensed up and stretched, making his abs even more pronounced.

“To me,” Candy suddenly barked and snapped her fingers at her side. Immediately the wolves joined her, flanking her on each side and sniffing hungrily at Lilly who had frozen like a statue.

“This is what happens to impure souls,” Candy told her darkly, “if you’re lucky, we ship you down to hell to spend all of eternity. But if I decide I don’t like you…” She trailed off and stepped back, letting the wolves lurch forward to grab and sniff at Lilly with rumbling growls that echoed around the room.

Gerard flinched and his body went stiff with tension, expecting the girl to get torn to shreds at any moment. But when the wolves finally moved away she was unharmed, though she had started to cry.

“Make your case then girl,” Candy demanded, raising her voice and peering down at her, “present the evidence of your purity and I will let you free.”

Gerard had no idea what evidence any of them could possibly give, and clearly Lilly didn’t know either. She looked over her shoulder, finding her friends gaze as if to plead with her to help her. No one in the line of sinners offered any help - what could they do?

“Nothing?” Candy didn’t seem surprised. “Then I shall ask the jury-” Before she could even finish, the demons were on their feet, screaming and shouting _guilty! guilty!_ , waving their arms and leaning over the counters in their excitement.

Gerard felt awful for Lilly, who just stood and cried into her hands. 

“Guilty it is.” Candy nodded and sneered at Lilly. “And I’ve decided I don’t like you, you’re only good for feeding my pets.” She stepped back and clicked her fingers at the girl. 

“Feed.”

The wolves surged forward, and the screams that followed were not only from Lilly but from half of the sinners as well. But above it all came a different, amplified voice. 

“NOOO!” 

The wolves suddenly jumped back, snarling and snapping their jaws as someone else joined Lilly in the centre of the chamber. 

Gerard’s stomach lurched when he realised that it was Frank - naked and blood stained - his arms outstretched to protect Lilly. 

“I won’t let you harm her!”

Gerard’s head swam and his heart went into overdrive. Was this all part of the show? It felt so real, so terribly real… He wanted to help, wanted to get out of here, but he felt glued to the spot. 

“Out of the way dog!” Candy snarled at Frank and raised a hand as if to strike him. “Or do you want more pain?”

“Go, go back to the group,” Frank told Lilly gently, giving her a soft push so that she jumped into action and ran back towards her friend with a soft wail. 

Frank turned immediately back to Candy, his legs spread in a power stance and his jaw set. 

“Stand aside.” Candy snarled at him. “ _Now_.”

“I won’t.” Frank insisted, his fists clenched. “I won’t let you hurt these people.”

Candy laughed, loud and long. When she looked back at Frank, her eyes were sparkling with mirth. 

“ _You_ already have werewolf venom coursing through your veins. Soon enough you won’t be able to deny my orders, and then you will kill them yourself.” 

Gerard gasped along with a few other people, starting to understand the story now. So Frank _was_ a plant, and soon to become a werewolf like the others. 

“I won’t hurt them!” Frank insisted, his voice wild and angry, “even if they are not - I _am_ pure of soul!”

Candy laughed even harder at this, and so did all the demons on the jury. They howled and jeered, and Candy bent over laughing, until the raucous they made was deafening.

Gerard hated it, it made him feel sick. 

Suddenly, a hot, stifling wind breezed through the room, lifting their hair and ruffling their clothes. It lasted barely a second, but it put an end to the laughter like flicking a switch. 

And then, a voice echoed loudly through the room. A voice that was familiar enough now to send a prickle of fear and arousal down Gerard’s spine. 

It was soft, and dark and Scottish, and spoke slowly and clearly… 

“A man who is pure of heart, and says his prayers by night, may still become a wolf when the wolfsbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.” 

Gerard’s heart had lodged itself in his throat, and there was a single second of tense silence, before a figure began to stroll leisurely into the centre of the chamber.

Immediately, Candy gave a little gasp and fell down to her knees. The wolves, who had been growling and snapping around Frank, all shrank back with the high-pitched whimpers of frightened dogs, and the demons on the jury fought one another to get around the front of their benches and fling themselves to the ground in prostration.

Gerard twitched all over, unsure of whether they were supposed to do the same, and his twitch seemed to ripple down the line as everyone half bent their knees and bowed forward for a moment before changing their minds and standing up straight.

“Master…” Candy’s voice had gone breathless with reverence and she bowed her head low as a man came to a steady halt before them all.

The room was so dim that at first he had been little more than a silhouette, but now he was stood in the light Gerard could see him properly at last. The owner of that honey-sweet voice. 

The Devil.

“Down.” The man held a hand out to the side of him, and made a gesture at the wolves who all immediately dropped onto all fours and lowered their heads and shoulders in the yoga ‘child’s pose.

Gerard’s knees nearly gave way too, his desire to be obedient towards this man already so intense it was almost impossible to ignore. 

The Devil was handsome, but that was putting it mildly. 

He was a bald man, with a perfect roman nose and heavy set eyes. They were black all over, even the whites of his irises, and he was wearing an all black suit that was perfectly tailored to accentuate his waist and firm thighs.

Gerard’s heart was racing for an entirely different reason now, his mouth flooding with saliva.

“You,” The Devil approached Frank, who had fallen to his knees when the other wolves went down, “you must be my new pet.”

The Devil reached out with a large hand and tucked two fingers beneath Frank’s chin. He lifted his head, so far back that Frank was forced to rise to his feet, glaring at him the whole time. 

“You are a disobedient little thing,” The Devil smiled, as if that pleased him, “but that is easily remedied.”

The Devil looked over his shoulder at Candy, who was still looking respectfully at the floor. 

“Leave.” He told her, his voice low and cold, “and take the others with you - if you think you can still control them.” He spoke with derision, and Candy’s cheeks went pink with embarrassment. 

“Yes master. Forgive me master.” She shuffled forward on her knees to lay a kiss to The Devil’s shoes. The man inhaled deeply, as if mastering a rage, and then nodded once. 

With his silent permission, Candy jumped to her feet and snapped at the wolves. 

“Come dogs!” She snarled and clicked her fingers rapidly four times. The wolves hurried to their feet and followed her obediently from the room without a second glance at the sinners, who were all watching with bated breath.

The Devil waited until he heard the heavy door bang shut, and then he laid his fingers onto Frank’s forehead. 

“Stay.” He said calmly, his tone firm, before stepping away from him and towards the sinners.

As if held by some dark spell, Frank stayed exactly where he was, scowling at The Devil the whole time. 

Gerard tried to catch Frank’s eyes, staring intently at him, and when Frank finally glanced at him his breath hitched. Frank’s own eyes sparkled, and Gerard was sure he could see the faintest smile tugging at his lips, but then his view was obstructed by a wide chest. 

“You.” The Devil bent down and leaned his face close to Gerard’s, those coal dark eyes staring into his. “You like my pet, don’t you?” He reached out to touch Gerard’s face, his thumb tracing his lower lip. “Do you want him to bite you?” He asked sweetly, starting to grin. “Would you like to be my pet too?”

_Yes_ Gerard thought wildly. 

“N - No.” He stammered, his cheeks flaming red from guilt. “I - I’m not… I d - don’t-”

“Shh.” The Devil laid his finger over Gerard’s lips, silencing him. He looked in his eyes for a moment longer and smiled. “I see what’s in your heart,” he whispered, lowering his hand to Gerard’s chest where his heart was beating frantically, “and I know the lust you harbor.”

Gerard’s tongue felt thick and heavy in his mouth, so that he couldn’t speak even if he had had something to say… which he most certainly didn’t.

The Devil moved on, walking slowly down the line. He folded his arms at the small of his back, and gazed at the sinners like a general regarding his troops. Every now and then he would pause and turn to talk to someone; he would touch them somewhere, talk softly about their lust - like he knew all their secrets - and then he would move on.

Once he was done, he walked back towards Frank, keeping his steps slow and calculated. 

“I agree that there is not a pure soul among you.” He said conversationally, coming to stand behind Frank and look at them all over his shoulder. “Which is why you find yourselves in hell in the first place.” He grinned, like he was sharing a joke. 

“But you…” The Devil turned his attention to Frank again, reaching round to slip his fingers around his throat. “You find yourself in an even bigger predicament. Once that venom has tainted all of your blood, you will become a wolf, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.”

“No!” Frank snarled and tried to jerk out of The Devil’s hold, but to no avail. 

“I’m afraid it’s true.” The Devil was stood calmly, as if he couldn’t even feel Frank’s struggles. “And I’m afraid I demand full obedience from my pets.” The Devil’s fingers flexed around Frank’s throat, just for a moment, and then he let him go. 

“Luckily,” The Devil went on as he reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket, “the werewolf venom is going to make it very difficult for you to deny me… Impossible, some might even say.” From his pocket he produced a long, thin chain. It was gold, and glistened as he pulled it free., One end was a golden hoop, and on the other the chain split into two ends, and each end had a clamp to finish it.

“Let’s put it to the test shall we?” The Devil was starting to grin, and when he stepped up behind Frank again he let their bodies touch. “Let’s give your friends a show to remember you by…”

Frank snarled and made an aborted movement, as if he was trying to move away and couldn’t. When The Devil touched him, his hands looked huge on Frank’s arms, where he was stroking down towards his wrists.

“I understand you were bitten down here.” He dropped one hand between Frank’s legs, cupping his palm over his cock and balls. “Let’s see if everything is still working, shall we?”

Gerard was starting to feel hot, causing beads of sweat to prickle on the back of his neck. He was so transfixed that he couldn’t take his eyes away from the gorgeous man fondling Frank’s soft penis, and he became hyper-aware of his obviously heavy his breathing had become. 

Gerard forced himself to look away just long enough to see if anyone else was so intensely affected, and was glad to see that everyone was watching the scene with just as much concentration as he was. Even Jack, who had been so determined to make his disinterest in men clear, was staring with wide eyes.

Gerard turned his head forward again, relaxing just a little. If they were about to get a show, then he meant to enjoy it; though he didn’t fully trust that there wasn’t going to be some nasty surprise to ruin it at any moment.

“Seems you’ve escaped with everything important intact.” The Devil squeezed Frank’s cock and then slid his hand slowly up, over his pubis and up to his navel and beyond. His fingers carved a path in the sticky blood that was spattered copiously all over Frank’s body, and where he wiped it clean the colourful tattoos beneath came into stark focus.

“Fuck you.” Frank spot, still trembling and twitching as though he was fighting against his own body with every second that passed. “I will never do as you tell me!”

“Sweet boy,” The Devil pushed two fingers of his free hand into Frank’s mouth, “you already are.” He said simply. 

Gerard’s cock was starting to stiffen, interested once again as he watched the way The Devil began to stroke and pluck at Frank’s nipples, his other fingers pressed deep into Frank’s mouth to keep him silent. 

“Lift your arms.” The Devil didn’t need to speak loudly or harshly for his voice to carry the command with conviction. Frank lifted his arms obediently, hooking them behind The Devil’s neck, causing his body to lengthen beautifully. 

The two of them together made such a pretty picture. Gerard was aching to touch himself, but he didn’t dare. But God, how hard he was becoming… Frank looked so beautiful, spattered with blood and trembling against that firm, suited body behind him. Every now and then he would suckle on the fingers in his mouth, and then suddenly stop when he realised what he was doing, as though his body and mind were fighting over what they wanted.

The Devil was watching the sinners, his expression calm, as he took in their reactions. The hand on Frank’s chest danced between his nipples, expertly teasing them both in turn, until Gerard could see how pointed they had become. 

Once he was satisfied, The Devil opened the first golden clamp and closed it ever so slowly over Frank’s left nipple.

The sound that Frank made was a mixture of pain and shock, and he went on whimpering softly as The Devil opened up the second clamp and lined it up with his right nipple. Frank’s chest was heaving, and his hips jerked in what Gerard knew from experience was panic - just a flash, that barely lasted a second, before the second clamp closed around his nipple.

“A - Ah!” Frank jerked forward, arching his lower back before settling down again. He was shaking more obviously now, and his eyes were watering. Gerard sympathised, he knew the biting pain of clamps all too well. 

“Good boy.” The Devil soothed Frank with a hand on his stomach, stroking tenderly. The chain hung down Frank’s sternum, attached to the two clamps to make a ‘Y’ shape down his body. The function of the golden ring at the end was now glaringly obvious. 

“You’re a pretty young thing,” The Devil told Frank, his hand smoothing down to cup around Frank’s cock again, “I’m going to enjoy dressing you in treasures and parading you around hell.”

Gerard very much liked the sound of that as well. He pictured Frank lounging at The Devil’s feet, surrounded by fire and brimstone, done up like Princess Leia, and his cock twitched.

The Devil had circled his fingers around Frank’s cock and was starting to jerk him slowly. He squeezed up towards the tip, watching Frank’s reactions almost as much as he was watching the sinners who were all staring with rapt attention.

“Do you like being watched?” The Devil purred into Frank’s ear, nipping the shell with his teeth. “Because I think they like to watch you.”

Gerard could only speak for himself, but he was definitely enjoying the show. He was staring at Frank’s cock, his mouth watering, as he watched him start to plump up and stiffen in The Devil’s hand.

Those long, clever fingers were working Frank easily, getting him half hard in mere seconds. 

“Ah, ah, enough now.” The Devil pulled his hand away suddenly, making Frank whine in protest. Gerard almost cried out too, desperate for the show to go on. 

“You don’t want to be too hard my pet,” The Devil whispered darkly, “or this is going to be difficult for you.”

No one seemed to know what he was talking about, but then he clicked his fingers and Candy reappeared, hurrying towards them with a metal tray in her hands.

Atop the tray was something small and golden, beside two unlabelled bottles and a strip of gauze.

Gerard’s heart was in his throat, and he stared with wide eyes as The Devil made quick work of wiping his hands clean with the gauze and one bottle of the liquid, before using a fresh strip to also wipe over the head of Frank’s penis. 

Gerard was not new to the BDSM scene, and he began to understand what he was seeing. He could barely breathe, hardly believing what he suspected was about to happen. 

“Each of my pets receive a gift when they join me.” The Devil was saying calmly, pouring something thick out of the other bottle. “Something to show that they are _mine_.” He rubbed the thick liquid - lube - over the tip of Frank’s semi-erect cock, pressing with his thumb right against his slit, before smearing lube over the golden device. 

He held it up then for the sinners to see. It was a beautiful golden ring, which he dangled off one finger. It had a blood red diamond set into the ring on one side, and on the other a short golden spike. 

Gerard’s cock was starting to ache, and he shuffled uncomfortably from foot to foot. He wondered if anyone else in the room had seen one of these plugs before; realistically he knew he couldn’t be the only one, but he felt like he was. His blood was roaring in his ears, and he was so turned on he was sure his erection must be obvious.

“Stay perfectly still,” The Devil told Frank, his lips pressed to his jaw, “or you’ll regret it.”

Frank was trembling so much that his thighs shook, but he locked his muscles then to try and steady himself. His breathing was obviously heavy, and sweat was streaking through the blood on his torso.

The Devil wrapped one hand around the end of Frank’s penis and lifted it up towards his stomach. He went quiet as he concentrated, but it didn’t matter. They didn’t need a running commentary, everyone was watching so intently that some of them had even began to lean forward. 

The Devil pinched the tip of Frank’s penis between his thumb and two fingers. 

Gerard couldn’t see from where he was stood, but he knew he was encouraging the urethra to widen so that could insert the tapered end of the golden spike. 

Frank tipped his head back against The Devil’s shoulder and squeezed his eyes shut. His biceps were tight and bulging from how hard he had clenched his hands, and he breathed slow and deep to keep himself steady and calm.

Once the end of the spike was in place, The Devil merely held Frank’s cock upright and allowed gravity to do the rest of the work for him.

The spike sank slowly home, easing into Frank’s urethra without struggle. It was short, barely two inches long, and not too wide, but watching it sink into Frank was making Gerard feel dizzy. He wished he could go closer… Wished he could sink to his knees at Frank’s feet and see that plug sink into him from up close. He would kill to get his mouth on the underside of that beautiful cock, to lick and suck tenderly at him as the plug settled into place. He ached to weigh his balls on his tongue and to work him steadily into an erection so that the penis plug would start igniting all those forgotten nerve endings in the tip of the penis.

Gerard inhaled sharply, forcing himself to focus and get a hold on his own body. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to end up making a mess of himself in front of everyone.

Once the plug was all the way in, it sat snug inside Frank’s urethra, with the golden ring and ruby shining at his tip. It looked beautiful, better than any work of art, and Gerard was mad with lust. 

“Good pet.” The Devil patted Frank tenderly on the thigh and nuzzled a kiss behind his ear. “Look how intensely they watch you… Look what an impression you make.”

Frank opened his eyes slowly and looked to the sinners. His eyes went down the line and stopped on Gerard, eager for his reaction most of all. He looked down slowly, finding the shape of his erection in his jeans, and a broken sound of pleasure left his lips.

“See how easily he submits?” The Devil grinned at their audience and began to gently stroke Frank’s cock in his fist. He didn’t grip or squeeze, but kept his fingers loose around him so as not to tighten his urethra around the plug.

Gerard could imagine how intense even that loose grip must feel with the plug pressed into him, and every moan and hitch of Frank’s breath only confirmed it. He was hard in seconds, his cock rising up towards his stomach on it’s own now, and starting to twitch every time the Devil pulled on the golden chain to tug his nipples in the clamps. 

“Let this be a warning to you all,” The Devil spoke in honey sweet tones, “you can try to disobey me… try to run from me,” he looked slowly around at each of their faces, whilst his hands made quick work of sliding the golden cock ring to the base of Frank’s erection, as expertly as if he had done it a million times before. “But in the end you shall submit. You shall _all_ submit.”

A shiver went down Gerard’s spine, that was more arousal than fear. 

Frank made a quiet, almost pained sound as the cock ring clamped around his root and The Devil placed both hands on his hips to hold him steady and let everyone take in the sight of him. The gold chain was now tethered to his nipples and his cock, with the penis plug completing the whole look. Gerard thought a golden collar would be the perfect final touch, and then mentally berated himself for enjoying it so much. 

The Devil was gazing at them all, waiting to see if anyone would speak. When no one did, he smiled with satisfaction and inclined his head towards Candy. 

“It’s clear to me that they are all damned.” He told her pleasantly, idly stroking Frank’s hipbone with his thumb. “Throw them in the dungeons whilst I decide what is to be done with them.”

Candy, who was still holding the tray, set it down on the floor and bowed her head at the man. 

“Yes master.” She stayed bowed for a respectful second, and then she turned towards the waiting sinners. 

“To the dungeons, all of you!” She demanded, and she revealed a whip from behind her back. She flicked it to make it crack in the air. 

The locked door to the side of the room opened then, revealing a set of stairs that went down into darkness. Gerard didn’t want to go down them, not when Frank was in here, but Lyn led the way and he was too afraid to disobey. 

One by one the line of sinners walked to the door and disappeared through it. 

Just before Gerard left he turned to look over his shoulder at Frank. He was stood against The Devil’s chest, and both he and Frank had turned their heads. It was hard to tell with The Devil’s all black eyes, but with Frank there was no doubt… He was watching Gerard, and when he caught his eye he grinned and winked.


	4. The Escape Rooms: Part one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeesh, sorry this chapter took so long guys! Work has been absolutely mental and sadly will continue to be that way for at least another month I'm guessing. I'm trying hard to keep updates swift, but thank you all so much for your patience! <3
> 
> This chapter was ending up WAY too long, so I've split it into two. Part two will be up (hopefully) soon! 
> 
> Trigger Warning: There is a brief mention of High School shootings in this chapter 
> 
> Squick alert: This chapter includes public humiliation, loss of bladder control and some medical kink stuff. If any of that makes you feel funny, skip ahead friends!

“How long do you think they’ll keep us in here for?” Lyn was leaning against the cell bars, hanging her arms through them and trying to peer down the corridor that stretched into darkness. 

“Dunno, but sitting around here isn’t exactly the exciting night I was expecting.” Jack said dryly from where he was sitting in a corner of the dank, dark cell. Gerard didn’t like the man, but he kind of agreed with him.

They had only been in the cells for a few minutes, but they were cold and damp and it felt like an eternity.

The sinners had all been separated into groups of seven. Candy had simply shoved them into cells in the order they had come down the stairs. It worked out well for Gerard, who had been locked away with Lyn, Jack, Anna, Lauren, Quinn and Aaron. But he had heard other people begging not to be separated from their friends or partners, with no success.

After each group had been locked into their cell, Candy had strode away down the corridor, her boots _tap, tap, tapping_ along the stone floor until the noise echoed away into silence. 

After that, they had had nothing to do but wait.

Gerard was huddled beside Anna, pretending to soothe her as she shook and sniffed, terrified that something was going to jump out at them; truthfully, Gerard was afraid of the same thing, but he was trying not to show it. 

Lyn seemed perfectly calm, and not at all concerned that her dangling arms might get grabbed by something lurking in the darkness.

“Hello?” She called, for the fifth time so far. “Anyone out there?”

A few answering calls came from other sinners, stretching down the opposite end of the corridor than Candy had left by. 

“Sorry, I meant monsters!” Lyn called back, making Jack scoff and roll his eyes. 

“Maybe we’re supposed to - AAAAGH!” Anna screeched loudly into Gerard’s ear, making his head ring like a bell. He winced and clapped a hand over his ear, jumping away from Anna who was crying again. 

“Sinners,” the source of her scream was Death, who had appeared - scythe and all - outside their cell, “I come to offer thee thy escape.”

Lyn had jumped slightly at Anna’s scream, but she was still leaning against the bars and she didn’t shrink away from the reaper as it hovered next to her hands. 

“We didn’t say the safe word.” She lifted her eyebrows at the creature. “We don’t want to leave.”

“I offer thee escape from this cell.” Death clarified, speaking in low, soft tones. “I shall release thee, so thy souls may wander these halls.” Death leaned closer, so that it’s hooded face was close to Lyn’s. “But hark this warning… Nought but terror await thee beyond these bars, go forth with fear, and remember mine offer of _mercy_.”

Death shrank away from their cell, disappearing into the darkness like mist. For a moment it’s pale hand lingered, one finger pointing down the corridor to indicate which direction they should go, and then even that was gone.

Gerard looked at the others, his lips parted and eyes wide. He was confused for just a moment, and then the door to their cell swung open with a loud, rusty squeal.

“Fuck.” Lyn jumped back in surprise, and stared warily at the open door. They couldn’t hear if anyone else had been freed, but their way onward was now clear. 

Lyn turned to look at everyone else, and Gerard saw the way her throat worked as she gulped. “So I guess we just go.” She said with forced calm. “Everyone ready?”

“Yep.” Jack pushed himself to his feet and swaggered to the doorway. He stepped out first and looked both ways down the corridor. Aaron, who really did seem unafraid, joined him. He pulled Quinn along by the hand, who in turn pulled Lauren, and Gerard was left to gently hook his arm through Anna’s and ease her towards the door. 

“It’s okay.” He whispered to her, giving her elbow a little squeeze. “Remember, none of it’s real.”

“You can safe word.” Lyn reminded her, taking her other hand and lacing their fingers with a sympathetic smile. “But if you want to carry on, we’ll look after you, won’t we Gerard?”

Gerard found that awfully presumptuous, considering he was equally terrified, but he nodded anyway. He didn’t imagine Anna would last much longer anyway.

Outside the cell, the corridor was too dark for them to see far enough to the other sinners. They couldn’t hear anyone either, but they didn’t linger long. Instead, Jack led the way in the direction Death had pointed, using one hand on the wall to guide their route.

The hallway was long but straight, paved with rough, cold stones. As they walked, Gerard strained to see ahead through the darkness, holding tightly to Anna as they went. 

The temperature, he noticed, was starting to rise again, growing warmer with every step. There was a slight scent of sulfur lingering on the air, sticking in the back of his throat, and it was so distracting that Gerard didn’t notice the floor changing until long after their footsteps had stopped echoing off the stone. 

He looked down, surprised, and realised the ground beneath his feet was now made up of dirty linoleum tiles. They were oddly familiar, but he couldn’t think why. They made their footfalls quieter, not silent, but more like sticky _’tch tch tch’_ sounds as the soles of their shoes gripped the linoleum.

As they walked, the walls began to change too; the rough stone turning to plain grey walls. And then light appeared, shining at the end of their dark, dank tunnel.

Gerard tiptoed up to see over Jack’s shoulder, and his eyes went wide. Their corridor was turning into a school hallway - opening up wider until metal lockers could line both walls and still leave enough room for all of them to walk side by side. The lighting overhead was dim, but compared to the darkness of the dungeons it was like blazing sunshine. 

Every few lockers, a classroom door would appear, but only one of them appeared to be open. Jack headed straight for it, and Gerard quickened his pace to keep up with him. Anna hurried along with him, keeping her chin tucked into her chest as if she was too scared to look.

The hallway was dirty, with puddles of blood on the floor and mould creeping down from the ceiling, but there were no demons or monsters to be seen. 

_Yet_.

Jack disappeared into the open classroom, closely followed by Quinn and Aaron, and Gerard and Lyn dragged Anna inside last of all.

“Wow.” Lyn let go of Anna’s hand once they had made it inside so that she could take a look around. “This takes me back. It’s just like my old high school.”

Gerard was pretty sure this was like _every_ high school. There were rows of individual desks and chairs, with an old fashioned chalkboard at the front of the room behind the teacher’s desk. The fake windows were misted over, with books stacked on the windowsills and along the shelves on the walls. More mould was spread over the ceiling and walls, and there were bloody handprints on the windows and footprints on the floor. 

“Now what?” Aaron wondered aloud, just as the door swung shut on it’s own. A soft _snck_ alerted them to the fact it had locked, but Gerard automatically reached out to check anyway. 

“We’re locked in.” He said flatly after a wriggle of the handle confirmed his fears. “Fuck.”

“Oh no… Oh no, oh no…” Anna pressed her hands to her eyes and sank down atop the nearest desk. She pulled her feet up onto the wood and curled in on herself, trembling all over. “Guys I swear I can’t handle it if something comes in here with us.” 

“It’s okay.” Gerard said softly, but it was clear from his trembling voice that his words were weak. “We’ll be fine.”

“I don’t like this.” Quinn pressed himself to Aaron’s chest and gazed uneasily around the classroom. “My skin is crawling.”

“Mine too.” Lauren looked as delighted as she did nervous. “This is so weird.”

Gerard had to agree. He moved carefully deeper into the room, and jumped when the sound of static crackled loudly from a corner of the room.

Everyone turned to find the source, and realised there was an old fashioned speaker hanging from the ceiling. It was coming to life, fizzing and popping until a voice finally managed to work it’s way through the static. 

_‘Welcome students to another glorious day here at Hell High.’_

It was the voice of The Devil, and just like that, Gerard’s fear began to bleed into arousal. 

All around the classroom, each of the group went still and silent, tensing up as they listened intently to the intercom.

_‘I hope we all had pleasant_ dreams _this morning, and are ready to hit the_ books _and learn something new. Because until you do, it’s permanent detention for everyone!_

The Devil laughed, loud and long, until the intercom cut out and left them all in silence.

“What the fuck?” Jack whispered, frowning in bemusement as he looked away from the speaker and at the rest of the group. “The fuck are we supposed to make of that?”

“I think it’s an escape room.” Lyn spoke confidently, a grin starting to spread across her face. “Did you hear the way he emphasised the words dreams and books?” She strode to the closest window ledge and snatched up one of the books. She laid it’s spine against her open palm and used her other hand to start thumbing rapidly through the pages. “There must be something in one of these books - a clue or something - and we need to find it to get out.” 

Gerard inhaled sharply, filling with a warm sort of certainty that she was right. 

“Everyone start looking!” Lyn ordered, flashing them a grin. “Grab a book and find something to do with dreams.”

Gerard jumped into action, abandoning Anna who was quivering on her desk and heading to the book shelves instead. He started at the top shelf and yanked down the first book, flicking through it quickly as Lyn had. 

It was clearly useless. The text was too small to read and half of the pages fluttered out when he opened it. He used the toe of his shoe to push a few pages around the floor, just in case any looked useful, but when they didn’t he dropped the book and moved on to the next one.

Across the room, Jack took the window ledge next to Lyn, and then Quinn took the one next to Jack. Aaron joined Gerard at the book shelf, dropping to his knees so he could thumb through the books on the bottom shelf first, whilst Lauren checked the single shelves along the other walls.

They worked quickly, fired up by their shared confidence that they were on the same track. 

Within minutes the floor was littered with discarded books, but just as Gerard was moving to the second shelf from the top, Quinn startled them all with an excited shout. 

“I have one!” He cried, lifting a heavy looking purple book into the air. “A dream index!” 

“Well done Quinn!” Aaron beamed, jumping to his feet and racing over to him. He hooked his arms around Quinn’s waist and laid his chin on his shoulder so he could read the book with him. 

Gerard moved closer, hovering with the others a respectful distance away whilst Quinn read aloud from the book.

“It’s almost all scribbled out, there’s just a bit left here that says - _most bad dreams are the result of stress, but some psychologists believe they are a type of ‘threat rehearsal’, where we can run through threats we may encounter in real life without any physical harm_.” Quinn frowned at the book and then looked up at them all. “Does that help us?”

“Are you sure that’s all there is?” Lyn asked doubtfully, reaching out for the book. Quinn handed it over, and Gerard’s heart began to race when he saw Lyn’s expression flood with disappointment when she flicked through the book and found Quinn was right. Every page was full of black marker strike throughs, so that just the portion Quinn had read out was left. 

“There must be more in the other books then.” Lyn decided, leaving the book open on the helpful page and laying it down on one of the desks. “Keep looking.”

They did so, but with much less gusto than before.

As they searched, the corner speaker popped and crackled back to life and The Devil spoke to them again. 

_‘Any student found to be not following the school’s dress code shall be punished severely.’_ The way He purred the word _punished_ made Gerard’s spine tingle and his cock fluff up slightly in his jeans. He tried to ignore it, and focus on looking through the books again, but The Devil wasn’t done and the more he spoke, the more distracted Gerard became.

_‘Any and all troublemakers shall be bent over my knee and spanked until obedience is assured. If they are particularly unruly, I am not averse to using a cane.’_ The Devil spoke with such honey sweet tones that Gerard was melting for Him. _‘Remember students, spare the rod and spoil the pups.’_ This time the intercom cut off to the sound of wolves howling and Gerard couldn’t stop the cold shiver that ran through him. 

“What was that all about?” Jack sounded frustrated, his face twisted up angrily as he flipped through the books. 

“Just ignore it, it’s to distract us.” Lyn insisted, though she didn’t sound sure. “Just focus on the books.”

“This is bullshit.” Jack sighed, throwing his head back for a moment in frustration, and then glaring when he saw that Anna was still sat on top of one of the desks. “Hey!” He barked at her, throwing the book in his hand at her head. “You gonna help or what?”

“Hey!” Lyn whacked Jack on the arm when the book struck Anna and made her scream. “Just leave her alone!”

“But she’s being fucking useless! If all you’re gonna do is cry then just leave!” Jack snapped. 

“Leave it.” Gerard was surprised by the force of his own voice. A defensive rage rose up in him and he stormed to Anna, helping her off her desk when she wobbled precariously. He wrapped his arms around her, and scowled hard at Jack. “You’ll get us all kicked out if you hurt her.” 

“I’m okay.” Anna tried to insist, but her voice was wobbly and thick with tears. “I’m sorry, I’ll help.”

“You’re such a dick, Jack!” Lyn punched Jack in the arm, harder this time. 

_‘Students,’_ The Devil’s voice rang out loud and clear over the intercom, _‘anymore rough-housing and you shall all be expelled.’_

Gerard went pale, and then a blush rose high on his cheeks. He felt even more furious with Jack then, for making possibly the sexiest man Gerard had ever seen get angry at them. 

“You’re an asshole.” He muttered under his breath, turning away from Jack to try and calm down. “It’s okay Anna, if you’re scared you don’t have to help-” Gerard fell short, his eyes going wide as he stared at the desk Anna had been sitting on. 

Now that she had moved, he realised that the desktop was really a lid. He grabbed it eagerly, lifting it on sturdy hinges to reveal a stack of work books inside. 

“Guys!” Gerard lifted them out and spread them over the next desk over. “I found something!” 

Straight away he could tell he was on the right track. Almost all of the workbooks were useless, but one was covered in doodles of people asleep in bed, and when Gerard flipped it open he found drawings inside of cartoon sleepers with dream bubbles above their heads. 

Inside each bubble a different scene had been depicted. There were cartoon ghosts - the kinds that looked like sheets with eye holes - and bug eyed monsters and people falling from cliffs. Gerard turned the pages eagerly, barely noticing everyone gathering around him as he searched for a clue. 

“Ah!” He stopped on a page that had been drawn in black marker. The rest of the images had all been pencil, but this one was bold and clear. It was another sleeping cartoon, and this time the thought bubble was full of vague laughing faces and a naked child hiding their genitals with their hands. 

“Weird.” Jack wrinkled up his nose and turned away, but Lyn gasped with realisation. 

“It’s that dream!” She exclaimed, her eyes alight with excitement again. When the rest of the group just looked at her blankly she scoffed and rolled her eyes at them, as if they were missing something obvious. “Oh come on! You know the one! That really common dream, where you show up to school one day only to realise you’re naked and everybody laughs at you!”

“What?” Jack scoffed, turning back round again with a sneer. “How is _that_ supposed to help us.”

“I don’t know.” Lyn admitted, staring at the page as if the answer might suddenly appear. “But I’m sure that’s it.” 

“Maybe we should keep looking.” Lauren suggested, but when they turned to start they realised almost all of the books had already been searched through and were littering the floor. 

They tried the other desks, and searched the teacher’s drawers and the filing cabinet at the back, but all they found were more vague paragraphs on dreaming and the mind rehearsing threats. Gerard felt sure the answer was looking at them, and yet no matter how much he thought it over, he couldn’t connect the dots.

“We must be missing something.” Lyn groaned, running her hands through her hair. “What are we _missing?_ ”

“Threat rehearsal…” Gerard mumbled to himself, tapping his fingers against his lips. “I dunno… That seems important…”

_‘Remember students,’_ The Devil’s voice suddenly rang out over the speaker again, _‘this is but a dream.’_

Gerard frowned, even more confused, and couldn’t blame the others for their groans of exasperation. He was sure they were simply missing the obvious, and he worked over those words again and again in his mind.

_This is but a dream. This is but a dream._

_The naked dream._

_Threat rehearsal._

_This is but a dream. A dream. This. Is a. Dream._

“Wait.” Gerard looked up suddenly, understanding dawning on him. He was doubtful that he was right, not really confident enough in himself to be certain, but it had to be worth a try. “What if we have to get naked?”

It took a beat, but then Lyn gasped, and gradually everyone else clicked on too. Gerard grinned when he saw them all smiling, and he realised that they thought he had got it as well. 

“You think all of us have to do it?” Quinn asked softly, looking around at everyone. “It’s usually just one person in the dream right? Otherwise, if everyone was naked, it’s not a scary dream.”

Lyn hummed thoughtfully, considering that. 

“Maybe just one of us try getting naked first, and see what happens.” 

As soon as Lyn suggested it, everyone began to look shifty. It was clear pretty quickly that no one was willing to speak up and offer themselves up to try first, which Gerard found a little surprising, considering they were all so… well, kinky.

He waited a moment, to be absolutely sure that no one was going to speak up, and then he shrugged and weakly lifted his hand. 

“I’ll do it.” He offered, thinking of The Devil who was obviously watching them, and his not-quite-secret kink for humiliation. “I don’t mind.”

“Good man Gerard.” Aaron smiled, nodding at him. “We can turn away if it helps?”

Gerard shook his head, cheeks going pink. “I think that would defeat the point.” He pointed out, but he appreciated the offer all the same. 

He took a deep breath and then got busy undressing, refusing to hesitate or go slowly incase he lost his nerve. He became hyper-aware that he didn’t really _know_ any of these people, and whilst he had got undressed in bondage clubs in front of strangers before, this was really a whole different experience.

He slipped his t-shirt over his head and dropped it onto a nearby desk, and then started on the button and zipper of his jeans. Already his mouth had gone dry and his heart was starting to race. He felt his skin tingle, like someone was watching him - someone other than the obvious. He tried to ignore it, pushing his jeans down his legs and stepping out of them with more confidence than he was feeling.

His underwear was more difficult. He hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his briefs but couldn’t quite bring himself to remove them. His skin had gone tacky with perspiration and goosebumps had risen on his arms, even though the room was warm, and he couldn’t bring himself to look at anyone. 

“It’s okay Gee,” Lyn encouraged him, her smile kind, “it’s not like none of us know what it looks like.”

Gerard tried to laugh, but the sound came out hollow and choked. He eased his briefs down slowly, making sure his hands and arms hid as much as of himself from view as possible. As soon as his underwear was down far enough, he stepped out of them and kicked them off to the side. He felt unbearably exposed, and somehow even more nervous because he knew everyone was trying so hard to be nice and not make him feel uncomfortable.

They waited.

Gerard looked around warily, still hiding himself with his hands. Perhaps they were all expected to get naked. Perhaps _none_ of them were, and he was just making a colossal fool of himself. 

“I don’t think it’s working.” He said softly, feeling incredibly stupid. “Should I get dressed again?”

_‘You call that humiliating?’_ The Devil’s voice cackled through the intercom so suddenly it made them all jerk in surprise. _‘I’ve seen less sympathy round a patient’s death bed, and more exposed cock in a morgue; which is where you’ll all end up if you keep me bored, dear students.’_

Gerard’s cheeks went crimson with embarrassment and he felt the heavy weight of shame sink into his stomach. He felt as though he had done something wrong, like a _real_ naughty school boy, and he yearned to be good and hear praise from that silky voice. 

“Laugh at me.” He blurted out, moving his hands away from his crotch so that he was completely exposed. His stomach clenched tight with nerves, and his hands twitched with the urge to cover himself again, but he resisted. “ _Laugh_ at me.” He said again, firmer this time when everyone just looked blank.

Gerard noticed that Jack’s eyes went straight to his cock, and his blush spread to his chest. He tensed his body, fighting against the wave of embarrassment and shame that washed over him, and kept his eyes fixed determinedly on a patch of mould on the ceiling. 

“He’s right,” Lyn sounded mortified at herself, “we do need to laugh.”

There was an awkward pause where no one made a noise, and then Lyn started them off. Her laugh was forced and uncomfortable, and when the others gradually joined in there’s weren’t much better. 

Gerard waited, certain that they would get into it eventually, and he simply stood as still as a statue, trying not to put them off. 

As he expected, their fake laughter gradually gathered momentum. Lyn rose to the challenge with more and more energy, until she started to point and jeer, howling loudly as she made fun of him for ‘showing up to school naked’. 

“Look how pale and scrawny he is.” Lauren tittered, catching on to what Lyn was trying to do. 

“Look how small his cock is.” Jack added with delight, almost making Gerard roll his eyes. He wanted to bite back that his cock would be small too if he was having to stand naked in front of a group of laughing strangers, but instead he just clenched his teeth and refused to look away from the ceiling. 

“We need to take this up a notch, circle him.” Lyn suddenly demanded, and Gerard was surprised by how quickly everyone did as she said. They formed a circle around him, laughing and pointing and shouting out flaws - some real and some imaginary - until his whole body was pink with embarrassment and his humiliation was bringing hot tears to his eyes. 

Gerard ached to cover himself up again, and his breathing was soon coming fast and sharp. He was bubbling up with anxiety, which only got worse and worse when he felt his nipples peaking and his cock start to fluff up. He hoped no one would notice, and focused hard on the ceiling mould to keep his body in check. 

Humiliation was one of those things that made Gerard as uncomfortable as it did aroused. It was the one kink that he couldn’t explain in himself. 

He supposed it was freeing, to stand in front of people so exposed and let them pick him apart. It took away any power they had to make him feel bad - even though he _did_ feel bad - and behind the prickling anxiety, the sweet hope that he might be pleasing The Devil created a balance that was… good.

_‘Well done students.’_ That thick, Scottish accent cut through their laughter and brought them to silence, speaking calmly over the intercom. _‘I think we’ve all learned something today… You may go on.’_

The classroom door unlocked and swung slowly open. 

Gerard raced to get his clothes back on, his skin still red and his eyes slightly moist. Lyn hovered at his elbow, biting her lip as she watched him redress. 

“I’m sorry if we upset you.” She said quietly, and her voice was so full of remorse that Gerard immediately smiled, wanting her to feel okay. 

“It’s fine. You didn’t.” He assured her, zipping up his jeans and yanking his t-shirt over his head. “You did what you had to do.” 

Lyn nodded, still sceptical, but she smiled and took Gerard’s hand in her own. “This place is seriously fucked up huh?” 

“Yeah.” Gerard laughed, letting Lyn pull him from the classroom and back into the hallways beyond. 

The others were waiting for them, and when they joined them Quinn practically dived on Gerard and squeezed him tight in a hug. 

“You did great in there.” He told him, letting him go so that Aaron could squeeze his shoulders gently. “I’d have hated to do that.”

“It was nothing, really.” Gerard was blushing all over again, as embarrassed by their praise as he was their insults. “Let’s just keep going.” He urged them, striding down the hallway with more confidence than he felt. 

The others followed, and as they walked Gerard’s spine prickled, like there was someone directly behind him. 

_‘You enjoyed that, didn’t you?’_

Gerard whirled around, wide-eyed and tingling with shock. Lyn lifted an eyebrow at him, still several feet away with no one else between them. 

“What is it?” She asked quickly, but Gerard only shook his head and swallowed hard. 

“N - Nothing… Thought I heard… Nothing.” He turned back around, rubbing the back of his neck with trembling fingers. Had he simply imagined The Devil’s voice? Was this place playing tricks on him?

He didn’t know. But it made him even more cautious as they left through a door at the end of the hallway, and entered what appeared to be a small, public bathroom.

By the time they had all crammed inside, there wasn’t much room left. There were only three cubicles in total, and one sink which was all smashed to pieces. The mirror was cracked but intact, and there was another door at the other end of the bathroom.

“Locked in again?” Lauren asked as the door they had entered by clicked shut. Lyn tried it, and Gerard went ahead to try the other door. 

Both were locked. 

Gerard turned to go back to the group and almost slipped on the damp floor. 

“Fuck!” He gasped and darted back until he was pressed into the wall, his eyes wide with fear. 

Inside the end cubicle, a demon clown laughed gleefully at him. It was stood with one foot up on the toilet seat, dirty red and yellow striped trousers pooled around it’s ankles. It had an erection - a fucking ginormous one - and it was lazily jerking itself off. 

Lyn hurried to Gerard’s side and then wrinkled her nose up at the sight. 

“Oh fucking hell.” She grabbed Gerard’s hand and dragged him back to where the rest of them were all huddled by the other door. 

“What-?” Quinn started to ask before Lyn cut him off. 

“Wanking clown.” She said simply.

Of course, now it seemed the clown wasn’t interested in terrorising them, everyone else had to go and take a look too. Gerard leaned against the door and tried not to think about what was really an impressive cock, uncut with a thick shaft and heavy balls, whilst they waited for everyone to look their fill.

Gerard wasn’t afraid of clowns particularly, but he didn’t really like them either. He wondered what the actor looked like under the horrific clown mask, and blushed at his own depravity. No one else looked even remotely turned on, and Gerard hated that he kind of was.

“I hope we don’t need to go near that thing to get out of here.” Jack scoffed after he’d taken a peek at the clown. “This place is fucking nuts.”

“The clues are graffiti.” Lauren, who was really getting into her stride now, was already exploring the other cubicles. She was reading passages of text that were scrawled on the walls with marker - Gerard had barely even acknowledged them. “This one says - _let go for sweet release_. That must mean _our_ release right?”

No one was really sure, but they all got busy shuffling inside the cubicles and reading the hundreds of small passages of text. 

Gerard joined Quinn and Aaron in the cubicle with the clown, since they all seemed the least fazed by it. 

The clown went on jerking his massive cock, which was far more distracting to Gerard than his manic cackles and yellow toothed smile. Every now and then he would make high pitched whooping noises and use a foot to shove one of them with his giant clown shoes, but Quinn was guarded by Aaron, and Gerard didn’t really care about getting a boot in the ass.

The graffiti - like the classroom books - was mostly useless. There were the standard _call for a good time_ messages, and _was here 2019_ or initials scrawled inside broken hearts. Gerard was sure the most important clue must be in this cubicle, or why else would the clown be in there?

The sound of a door suddenly opening and banging shut made Gerard jump and he jumped up to see over the top of his cubicle. 

“Out of the way, out of the way!” A young woman had entered the bathroom - a cheerleader. She was covered in blood that seemed to come from a gunshot wound in her head, but from the way she was hopping around that was the least of her troubles. “Get _out_ I need to go!”

Lyn and Anna looked at each other in surprise but quickly scuttled out of the cubicle. The cheerleader darted past them, hoiked up her skirt and collapsed onto the toilet with a loud groan of relief. 

Gerard slipped back down into his own cubicle, blushing pink again. They could all hear the girl peeing, for such a long time it was obvious she must have been absolutely bursting. Gerard looked over his shoulder and was glad to see that Quinn and Aaron were both looking as bemused as he felt. 

“What…?” Quinn looked around at the cramped cubicle, the wanking clown and the cheerleader who darted past their door on her way out. “This is some weird… It’s like the twilight zone.”

Gerard wholeheartedly agreed. He wondered if they were supposed to find the link between what the hell was happening around them, but he came up blank.

With no better ideas, they went back to reading the graffiti, but it was almost impossible. Barely thirty seconds at a time would pass before another wounded student would come darting into the bathroom. Each of them were bloody and pale, like they’d been killed in some terrible shooting, and all of them seemed unconcerned by anything but their need to pee. 

Everytime one came in, they would choose a cubicle and whoever was inside had to leave so they could urinate. 

The clown didn’t leave. He just squatted in the doorway and cackled with laughter as it went on jerking its cock. It was angry and red, and Gerard wondered what would happen if it came before they managed to escape. Did they lose? Would they have to get covered in cum as punishment?

After the fifth student had been and gone, Gerard peered over the clown’s shoulder and the wall behind it. It kept going back to stand with one foot on the toilet as it had in the beginning, and Gerard began to wonder if the clue they needed was behind it. 

“Um…” Gerard walked close, flinching as the clown leaned forward to shove its face in his. The mask was one of those typical rubber ones, but it was truly terrifying. The clown make-up was cracked and rotten, and the grinning mouth revealed razor like teeth. The eyes were grotesque cartoon versions of cat eyes, and the whole thing smelled a bit sour. 

“E - Excuse me.” Gerard said as politely and calmly as he could, trying to make himself as thin as possible so he could sidle past the clown. “C - Can I just -”

Quinn and Aaron paused to watch him with wide eyes. The clown was cackling again, and as Gerard wormed his around it, it slowly turned to let him by. _Slowly_ turned. It laughed and laughed in that awful high-pitched way, and kept shoving its hips forward so that the slick head of its cock bumped against Gerard’s leg or hip or hand. 

Gerard grimaced and shrank away from it, trying to ignore it. 

The wall behind the toilet was smothered in more graffiti, but he found what he was looking for almost immediately. It was another cartoon of a sleeping person with a dream bubble, scrawled on the wall right down behind the u-bend of the toilet. 

“Fuck…” Gerard had to bend to see it properly, not even squatting would be enough. He could see where this was going...

He looked over at the clown who was jerking off slower now and felt a mixture of fear and repulsion rise like bile in his throat. It really was a wonderful cock, but he wasn’t sure he wanted it spraying all over him.

The outside door banged open again and another girl ran in, shouting for Jack and Lauren to get out of their cubicle so she could go inside and pee. 

While everyone was distracted, Gerard bent down and quickly looked at the drawing inside the dream bubble. The clown wasted no opportunity and he felt the thick shaft of its cock rub against the curve of his backside. Gerard could feel the heat of it even through his jeans, and he hurried to straighten up and rushed out of the cubicle.

In his haste he was a little rough, shoving the clown out of his way, nearly tripping over Quinn’s foot and then crashing into the woman who was leaving out of the door. She screeched at him and shoved him back, knocking him onto his ass before she disappeared out the door that locked behind her. 

“Gee! You okay bud?” Aaron was there in a flash, helping Gerard back to his feet and trying to stifle a grin. “Thought you were gonna get punched for a minute there dude.”

“By who? The rapey clown or the girl?” Gerard grimaced, rubbing his bruised backside, his eyes smarting with tears. “There’s a drawing behind the toilet,” he said quickly as the others came out of their cubicles to see what was happening, “another dream bubble. It was a cartoon stood with its legs crossed, and three toilets with exes over them.”

They all considered that for a moment, thinking hard. 

“You think it’s a fetish thing?” Lauren spoke up first, frowning thoughtfully. “Like… The first room was humiliation, this one is… Like… Peeing?”

“Bladder loss.” Aaron corrected, nodding his head. “That’s a huge fetish in the right circles. It’s not as simple as watersports, it’s about that loss of control. The submissive is made to drink litres and litres of water, and then left until they’re so desperate to go it hurts. Then they’re made to urinate wherever their dom pleases. Usually still fully dressed and often tied up.” He explained calmly. 

Gerard lifted an eyebrow and looked slowly at everyone’s daunted expressions. 

“So… Are we supposed to wet ourselves?” He asked slowly, mortified by the very idea. “And what? Then carry on through this place covered in our own-”

“Get out of the way!” Another cheerleader burst suddenly into the bathroom and ran for the nearest cubicle. “Get out, get _out_ I need to go!” Jack was stood in her way, and he looked stunned for a second before he frowned and shook his head, blocking the doorway with his arms outstretched. 

“No way princess.” He said firmly and Gerard was so confused and angry he almost punched him out of her way, until realisation dawned. 

“Oh!” He gasped, but it was too late to react. The cheerleader ran to the middle cubicle instead and was sat on the toilet before anyone could think to stop her. Her moan of relief was soft and ecstatic and Jack swore as he rolled his eyes at them all. 

“Fuck sake guys!” He snapped, smacking his palm against his head. “Use your fucking brains!”

Gerard blushed, and Lyn looked like she wanted to snap at Jack, but the guy was _annoyingly_ right. 

“Everyone pick a cubicle and block it.” Lyn sounded a little huffy after the peeing girl had disappeared. “Stop the next one from getting in.”

Gerard hoped he could avoid the clown this time, but everyone went back to the cubicles they’d been searching so he reluctantly joined Quinn and Aaron at the clown cubicle. 

The clown cackled gleefully and stood right behind them, still stroking it’s cock. Gerard faced forward and ignored it. 

The wait for the next student felt like an eternity. Every now and then the clown’s knuckles would knock against Gerard’s lower back as it jerked off behind him, and it even reached out and touched his cheek with worryingly slick fingers at one point.

Gerard flinched and shook his head hard until the fingers went away, but he could feel the damp spot on his cheek go sticky and dry in the air as they waited. 

“Ignore it.” Aaron said softly next to him, one arm wrapped protectively round Quinn. “We’ll be out of here soon.”

Gerard sincerely hoped so.

The bathroom door banged open all of a sudden and Gerard felt Quinn and Aaron go tense beside him as they all braced themselves. It was another girl, with gunshot wounds to her temple and chest. She was wearing a typical school-girl outfit of white blouse, pleated short skirt and knee high socks. 

Gerard watched her beg to be allowed into the first cubicle - only for Jack to block her way with his arms as he had the cheerleader before her. The girl danced over to the middle cubicle, clutching between her legs and hopping around. 

“Please, _please_ , get out of my way - I need to go!” Her voice was high-pitched and urgent, making Gerard’s stomach tighten with anxiety. But Lyn and Lauren stood shoulder to shoulder and forced her on down to the final cubicle. 

Gerard flushed pink as the girl hurried to stand in front of him, her eyes wide and glossy with tears. 

“Please! Please I’m so desperate, I have to go, please!” She begged, her voice growing more and more manic as she bounced on the balls of her feet. “Please, I’ll wet myself!”

“Do it then.” Aaron said calmly, and his voice was so sultry and gentle that Gerard felt a tingle go up his spine. He glanced over at him, his mouth falling open, but Aaron never took his gaze off the girl. “Go ahead. Stand over there and wet yourself.”

Gerard almost darted out of the cubicle to do as Aaron said himself. Then he mentally chastised himself for being possibly the biggest fucking slut in the place; possibly the whole world. It just took one handsome man to give firm, clear instructions and he was like putty in their hands.

Behind them, the clown had gone back to kicking them with it’s ridiculous shoes. Aaron moved so that Quinn was in front of him and protected, but otherwise made no sign that he could even feel the clown. Gerard followed his lead and grabbed the edges of the cubicle, tightening his stance and refusing to back down.

The girl could see that her pleas would get her nowhere. She tried a few weak threats but then the need to urinate became too much and she sobbed as she ran to stand in front of the broken mirror, directly over a drain that ran beneath where the sink would have been. 

“Oh no,” she whimpered, still clutching at her skirt and twisting it between her hands, “oh no, oh no, oh no!”

Gerard felt like the cruelest human being in the world as the girl shuddered and sobbed. A large wet patch began to grow over the dark fabric of her skirt, just for an instant, and then the liquid was running down her thighs and soaking into her socks. It pooled around her feet, and the sound of it hitting the metal grate of the drain seemed deafening in the otherwise silent bathroom.

Gerard wanted to look away, but he was riveted. The girl peed for such a long time, and her whimpers had become a long sigh of relief as she released the pressure that had been no doubt making her ache. 

When she finished at last she dropped down onto her haunches, leaning back against the wall, and put her hands over her face. She sounded like she was crying, but before anyone could hope to comfort her, the door the other students had run through clicked and swung wide open.

“I… I think we did it.” Lyn looked pink cheeked and a little uncomfortable. “Lets go.”

Gerard was glad to get away from the clown, but he still felt awful. He glanced over his shoulder to check the actress one last time, and noticed that Jack was staring at her as he walked past. There was a sizeable bulge in his jeans and Gerard grimaced. He stood beside the door, waiting for everyone else to leave first, just to be sure that Jack didn’t linger.

As he walked by Gerard he caught his eye, scowling at him to try and hide the fact that he was obviously turned on. Gerard just glared right back and followed him out into the next room.

By now, Gerard was sure nothing could shock him, and he was unfazed when he found himself in what appeared to be just an everyday doctors office. There was a man in a long white coat stood beside a steel table covered in various instruments. He was in the process of snapping on white latex gloves, and smiled cheerfully at them all as they sidled into the room. 

The only other person in the room was a woman, who was lying completely naked on the leather clad doctors table. She looked cheerful too and the happy normality (well, _nearly_ normal) of it all made Gerard immediately suspicious.

“Welcome, welcome.” The doctor nodded at them all and gestured for them to come closer. “Come along students, you won’t pass med school if you’re too afraid to approach your patients.” He chuckled. 

Gerard looked uneasily at everyone, wondering if they felt the same trepidation that he did, but not even Anna looked afraid. They all walked nearer to the naked woman, until they fell into place in a semi circle around her on the opposite side of the table to the doctor. 

“Good, good.” The man pulled his tray of implements closer and turned to the naked woman. “So ma’am, go ahead and explain your symptoms again for the trainees.”

“I have terrible jaw ache,” the woman pulled a face and rubbed one side of her jaw, “it’s been killing me for days now. It throbs along here,” she drew a line along her jaw all the way to her chin, “like my teeth are trying to jump outta my gums.”

“Now, we’ve already looked into the mouth and found no signs of anything untoward, but why don’t you check anyway?” The doctor handed a small flashlight and what appeared to be a wooden lollipop stick to Lauren. She looked mortified at having been asked, but the naked woman smiled at her and opened her mouth wide so Lauren shuffled closer and shone the light into her mouth.

Gerard scanned his eyes over the woman, trying to find anything that might be a clue or allude to something sinister happening. But her skin was pale and unblemished, with just a thin patch of bright red hair between her legs, as red as the hair on her head. 

“I don’t see anything.” Lauren pulled back after a few seconds and handed the tools back to the doctor. 

“As I thought.” The doctor looked serious all of a sudden, his face going dark. “Then I shall look for any signs of nerve damage in the rest of the body, in case this is a matter of the brain. Students, observe me closely.”

Gerard got comfortable, folding his hands across his lower back, and watched intently as the doctor began his examination.

He ran his gloved hands along the woman’s jaw, pressing gently to find anything unusual beneath her skin. Once he had declared that normal, he slid his hands down her body, feeling out the shape of her breasts and rubbing a finger over each nipple before he turned to pick up a small, silver mallet. 

The naked woman seemed happy enough, and as the doctor tapped each of her knees with the mallet she kicked one foot and then the other. 

Next, the doctor picked up something far more familiar to Gerard. A Warternberg pinwheel, made of surgical steel. Gerard loved pinwheels, and had tried some with as many as five wheels on one handle, but this was just the simplest design with one wheel made up of short, sharp spikes.

The doctor ran the wheel carefully all over the woman’s body, starting at her feet and making his way all the way up to her neck and jaw. The pins left small indents on her skin, which faded quickly but were incredibly beautiful all the same.

“Nothing unusual yet…” The doctor said thoughtfully. “Open your legs ma’am and we’ll see about the nerves here as well…”

The woman dutifully opened her legs and Gerard immediately looked away, blushing, before he remembered they were _supposed_ to look. He knew that if the actress were a man, or better yet, _Frank_ he would be unable to look away.

He glanced at the others and found that they were all staring with varying levels of arousal. No one seemed put off by the pinwheel, which the doctor was now running gently over the woman’s clitoris. It made her squeak and giggle, and a blush rose on her pale skin. 

Gerard swallowed hard and focused more on the gentle rise and fall of her belly as she breathed, and he knew she was getting aroused because he could see the way her abdominal muscles pulled in tight every time a particularly luscious wave came over her.

“Good, very good.” The doctor’s voice had gone husky, and when he moved the pinwheel back to the tray, he picked up a bottle of lubricant instead. “I’m just going to check inside.” He informed the woman, pumping a healthy amount of lube into his palm.

Gerard wondered how a complaint for jaw ache suddenly became a gynecology exam, but by the look on everyone else’s face, they were delighted. 

Lyn had gone bright red, and her eyes were wide and glossy. Gerard supposed he had looked the same way when he had watched Frank with The Devil in the courtroom, and he was suddenly glad he wasn’t the only one being so affected by this place. 

Gerard had nothing against the female form, but he still looked away as the doctor inserted two fingers into the woman. Her soft sighs and moans of pleasure were making him feel embarrassed, like he was watching something he shouldn’t, and he glanced around the room instead. 

That’s when he saw it.

There were framed pieces of art on the walls, and one of them was another cartoon dream drawing. Gerard hadn’t noticed it at first because it was in colour, unlike the others which had been plain black marker. He half turned, wanting to go closer, and then hesitated. He looked back at the doctor, who was picking a speculum off the tray. 

Gerard wasn’t sure if he was allowed to walk away or not, so he tried one, then two carefully measured steps. The doctor didn’t seem bothered, and his patient was too busy moaning and tipping her hips up towards his hand to even notice Gerard.

Inserting the speculum required a certain level of concentration, so whilst the doctor was preoccupied, Gerard slipped away from the group to look at the drawing.

This one was more complicated than any of the others, and Gerard leaned in close to try and work it out.

Inside the dream bubble was a cartoon figure, with one hand raised over its mouth. Something was falling from the hand to the ground, but the image wasn’t detailed enough to show what they were. They just looked like little black dots.

Gerard frowned, confused. He went back over the other two drawings he had seen, trying to understand how they had matched up to their rooms and thus how this one must match up in here. 

Behind him, the woman on the table was moaning louder and louder, creating a terrible distraction. Gerard tried to ignore her, but it was impossible. It sounded like she was about to cum, and he turned absently to see what was happening just in time for her hips to lift right off the table. 

The woman wailed loudly, trembling and gasping as she lifted both hands to her hair. She ran her fingers through the red tresses, pulling lightly as she arched and sobbed.

Gerard wandered over, rejoining the group who were all looking a bit hot and bothered. Lyn was actually fanning herself with one hand, whilst the other pulled her hair away from her damp neck. 

“All seems to be in working order.” The doctor said pleasantly, sliding the speculum out of the woman. A thread of sticky, clear fluid stretched between the pointed end and the woman’s body and Gerard found himself as fascinated as he was repelled.

“Hm…” The doctor frowned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Perhaps it’s psychological. One moment please.” The doctor smiled pleasantly at the woman who was still panting and quivering on the table. He turned then to the group and motioned for them to follow him. 

“Students,” he whispered after he’d taken them to one corner and had them all stand with their backs to the woman, “I fear this woman may be suffering from delusions. I am going to leave to get a sedative, I need you all to stay here and watch her.” He whispered to them. 

Gerard’s stomach plummeted and a cold sweat began to bead across the back of his neck. He instinctively began to shake his head, but the doctor acted as though he hadn’t noticed. 

“I’m sure she isn’t dangerous. But even so, there’s seven of you and only one of her. You’ll be fine.” He flashed them a bright grin and before anyone could try to protest, he darted out of the room and through the door they had entered by.

Gerard’s skin was crawling. He looked nervously at the others, his body curling in on itself with fear. 

“Something’s going to happen.” He whispered, absolutely certain of it. Anna looked petrified and she grabbed the nearest person to her - Quinn - and held on tight. 

Lyn’s eyes flickered with suspicion too and she nodded once, before turning slowly to look at the woman. Gerard knew immediately that something was wrong. Lyn went pale and her eyes went wide, and Gerard wasn’t sure that he could turn around without having a heart attack.

“What is it?” Lauren squeaked, noticing the look on Lyn’s face too.

Lyn swallowed hard, her hands twisting into the hem of her t-shirt as she answered, “she’s gone.”

“What!?” Gerard whirled around and felt his heart plummet into his shoes. Lyn was right, the woman was gone. The room was completely empty except for the seven of them. Or so it would seem.

“Ooh…” Anna moaned, pressing both hands to her cheeks. “I don’t like this…”

“It’ll be okay.” Quinn wrapped an arm around her shoulders and smiled weakly at her. “Maybe we’re supposed to look for clues again?”

“I saw a drawing!” Gerard seized on the chance to get them out of there and hurried them all over to the dream drawing. They stared at it, but no one seemed able to make a connection either. 

“What are those little dots there?” Lyn asked, touching the drawing with her finger. “Flies?”

“There must be other clues somewhere.” Quinn looked around hopefully, but there wasn’t much to see. The room was mostly empty, but for the doctors table and tray of implements. Even so, they all made the effort to look around, though no one strayed far from the group. 

There was a growing tension in the air. Gerard could feel his body getting more and more tense, just waiting for something to happen. It made his breath go short, and his heart stuttered in its rhythm.

He kept close to the others, waiting and listening, and then he heard it. 

Someone was crying softly, so quiet it was barely audible. Gerard thought it was Anna at first, but when he looked at her, her eyes were dry. 

Gerard went cold all over.

The crying grew louder, just gradually, bit by bit. It became a soft, pathetic moan of pain, and everyone quickly became aware of it. They huddled tight together, exposed in the middle of the room. Quinn opened his mouth as if to ask something, but then thought better of it and kept quiet. 

They listened.

The crying was getting louder and louder still. It was a woman, wailing quietly but getting more insistent all the time. The noise seemed to echo at them from all corners of the room, so that no matter where they turned to look they couldn’t see anything.

_“It hurts…”_ The woman moaned, and the lights flickered twice. _“Please help me… Doctors… It hurts…”_

Anna’s hand shot out, grabbing at whoever was closest. Gerard caught her fingers and gave them a gentle squeeze. He fully sympathised, he was terrified too. He pressed tighter into the group, trying to hide between them all. Even Jack was trembling, he noticed, and Aaron was holding Quinn protectively in his arms.

_“It hurts… I can feel it… I’m not crazy. I’m not CRAZY!”_ The woman’s voice suddenly went shrill, and instead of echoing all around them it came from the left of them. Gerard turned to look, but he caught only a glimpse of bright red hair before the lights went out, leaving them in complete darkness.

Gerard gasped, but the noise was drowned out by Anna, Lauren and Quinn screaming. The whole group began to jostle and stumble, and Gerard nearly found himself falling over until hands grabbed him and shoved him the other way. 

He screamed then too. He knew they weren’t the hands of any of his new friends, and he understood now why they were falling around like leaves getting blown off a tree. The redheaded woman was pushing them, darting around them in the dark and shoving at them. 

Just as quickly as it started, it stopped. The lights burst back to life, blinding them for a moment. When their eyes adjusted, Anna released a broken sob and shook her head. 

“I can’t do this anymore! Mercy! _Mercy!_ ”

The redheaded woman was prowling along the wall behind the doctors table. She was still naked, but now she was hunched over, clutching the lower half of her face. Her hair fell forward like a curtain, hiding her expression, but even just her posture was enough to make Gerard feel sick with fear.

Anna’s cry had brought forth Death. The robed figure appeared in the doorway, and glided into the room with it’s bony hand outstretched. 

“Come child…”

Gerard stepped aside to let Anna through, a lump risen high in his throat. They all murmured quiet words of farewell to her, and watched with vague astonishment as Death took her hand and drew her away without another word. 

“Oh…” Lauren whimpered, her eyes teary. “I can’t believe we lost her…”

“I can.” Jack scoffed, squaring his shoulders in an attempt to hide his obvious fear. “She was pathetic.”

Gerard turned to scowl at him, and Lyn smacked Jack on the arm before the naked woman brought their attention back to her. 

“Help me!” She rasped, her voice broken and angry. She turned to look at them, baring her teeth and Gerard took an instinctive step back. The woman’s teeth were crimson with blood, and when she spoke it dripped down her chin and onto the floor. “ _Help_ me!”

The lights went down again, and Gerard immediately turned inwards towards the others and brought his arms around himself for protection.

This time the pushing and shoving became pulling. Gerard heard Lyn scream and felt her fall back slightly before the hands grabbed him. He gasped and yelped as slender fingers closed over his face, yanking him backwards until he fell against the woman’s body and then she moved on to grab the others.

When the lights burst back on, this time Gerard was a quivering wreck. He stumbled forward, as did everyone else, until they fell into one another’s arms.

The naked woman was just a few feet away from them now, hunched over on her knees on the floor. Her shoulders were shaking, but whether with laughter or sobs it was impossible to tell. She had gone completely silent. 

“What is going on?” Lauren whimpered, keeping her voice quiet, as if that would stop the woman from hearing her. 

“It hurts…” The woman whispered as if to answer her. She had her hands in front of her face again, and Gerard noticed that there was a lot more blood now running between her fingers. “It _hurts_...” 

The woman’s body hitched, and then she was heaving, leaning forward as if to throw up. She opened her mouth and made a terrible, garbled noise before a cascade of blood poured from her mouth.

“Ugh!” Gerard jumped back, frightened of getting the blood on his feet. It spread over the floor, and in it were little hard lumps of…

“Teeth!” Lyn gasped, grabbing Gerard’s shoulder and giving it a little shake. “It’s teeth in the drawing!”

She didn’t need to say anymore, everyone understood. Who hadn’t dreamt of their teeth falling out? 

Gerard stared with disgust as the woman slowly spat out several more teeth into the pool of blood. Once she was done she started to sob and crawled away to a corner of the room where she curled in one herself with her back to the group.

They waited a moment, but the lights didn’t go out. 

“Now what?” Jack scoffed. 

Aaron slowly pulled away from Quinn and walked to the door they were to leave by. He tried the handle, but it was locked. As he pulled it, a little hatch flicked open just above the handle. 

“What’s that?” Lyn gasped, and they all hurried over to see. 

“Spell out the common link and let the ____ continue.” 

“What?” Gerard looked over Aaron’s shoulder and blinked at the little card that had been revealed in the hatch. It had the words written over it, with a gap for another word to fill it in. There was an indent in the wood of the door, as if to spread out scrabble tiles. 

“We need to spell a word.” Lyn said what they were all already thinking. “Get looking for letters.”

As soon as she said it, Gerard knew exactly where they’d be. 

He walked to the blood and squatted down beside the edge of the puddle. He grimaced, and tried to tell himself it wasn’t real as he used one fingertip to slide out the closest tooth. 

It was crimson with blood, but when he laid it in his palm and used his thumb to wipe it clean, a letter appeared engraved on the surface. 

“They’re on the teeth.” He called out, his stomach churning unpleasantly. “We have to spell the word with the teeth.”

There was something sickening about collecting teeth from a puddle of blood, but Gerard got to it, grabbing as many as he could see until he had a handful cupped in his palm. He brought them over to the others, who were all looking a bit green as they waited by the door. 

“Is that all of them?” Lauren looked dismayed at the little pile. “We don’t even have the whole alphabet?”

“That’s good thought right?” Quinn piped up with a weak, forced smile. “It’s just like solving an anagram.”

“I always hated those.” Jack snorted, making Lyn roll her eyes at him. 

“I think the common link is what the theme of these rooms are.” Aaron spoke up before Jack and Lyn could start arguing again. “Like, dreams or fetishes or something like that?”

Gerard shifted the teeth around his palm, hunting for the right letters. “Hmm… No D.” He sighed, turning the little pearls over and pulling a face. “No F either.”

“What about kinks?” Lauren offered, but Gerard just shook his head.

“No K.” 

“What _do_ we have?” Jack asked sarcastically, glaring at Gerard as if it was his fault they didn’t have the letters. 

“Um… An I,” Gerard read out as he slowly shifted the teeth from one hand to the other, “an E... R… N… T… A… G, M and H.” He looked up at the others, his mind blank. He had gone through so many ups and downs and pure, terrifying moments that it was like his brain had completely given up. “Any ideas?”

“Let’s line them up and see if that helps.” Lyn took the teeth from Gerard, leaving his hands stained with blood, and lined them up on the little indent in the door. Together they spelled _IERNTAGMH_.

Gerard stared, trying to will his brain to engage and scramble the letters into something legible, but he was hopeless.

No one else seemed to get it either. It felt as though they stood their forever, with just the sobs of the naked woman breaking the silence. Lyn tried shuffling a few of the teeth around, making more and more anagrams, but no word seemed forthcoming.

Gerard wondered if they would get help if they shouted for it. Surely they couldn’t be left there forever. But then Aaron gasped and suddenly grabbed all the teeth up again. 

“Oh my God!” His voice was high with excitement. “I’ve got it!” He began to lay the teeth out again, one at a time, checking the letters twice before he finished and stood back with a triumphant grin. Gerard leaned close with the others to read it. 

_Spell out the common link and let the NIGHTMARE continue._

The lock gave a heavy _thunk_ as it sprung apart, and the door slowly swung open to reveal a path into darkness.


	5. The Woods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is just a little one guys - I really wanted to have this be part of what will now be the next chapter, but with my real life being so busy at the moment I'm kind of having to just do what I can in little intervals, but I didn't want you all waiting forever for another installment.
> 
> Thank you all for your amazing support and patience through all of this, it really does mean so much to me. Please continue to bare with me, and I hope this tides you all over until next time; fingers crossed, in a couple of weeks I have a holiday coming up, so stick with me until then and I promise updates will be much quicker.
> 
> But until then... into the woods.

Gerard followed the others slowly down a long, dark path, his heart lodged firmly in his throat. He had been left shaken by the room with the teeth, and didn’t feel any calmer when the solid ground beneath their feet became soft and mossy, interspersed with bits of twigs and leaves. 

Gerard realised what they were going to come to a split second before it opened up before them - a forest. It wasn’t real, he _knew_ that; somewhere above their heads must be the ceiling, and off to the sides of them there must be walls, and yet _knowing_ that didn’t make it any less convincing. 

Trees stretched endlessly ahead of them, not quite as tall as real trees, but certainly tall enough. Their heavy branches were thick with leaves, and the place even smelled like a forest - earthy and damp, with a hint of something sour that seemed to emanate from the mist that spilled along the floor and hid the ground. 

Their little group of six came to a halt, and they all gazed around in amazement. The room was dark, but there was a soft glow coming from the ceiling in waves, as if the moon was shining through the branches and sliding along the sky. It was undeniably beautiful, but Gerard was still tingling with fear.

“What do you think is going to happen now?” He whispered, keeping close to everyone else as they waited for a clue. “Werewolves again?” He was looking at the pale light that glowed between the trees.

“There doesn’t seem to be anything to read this time.” Lyn shrugged, taking a careful step forward. “No drawings either…”

“It could be the wolves.” Quinn kept his voice low, and his eyes darted about as he looked for a sign of _anything_. He was huddled close to Aaron, clinging to him for protection as they all shuffled slowly forward. 

“We must have to walk through.” Lauren said confidently, though she made no move to lead the way. “Then maybe something will appear when we do.”

This seemed to be the most sensible suggestion, and also the one thing Gerard wanted to do least. He knew… He could _feel_ , that this room was not going to hold anything good for them. He moved closer to Lyn, pulled to her by her courage and she smiled at him, linking their arms. 

Jack rolled his eyes and stepped ahead of everyone, leading the way himself. He was unusually quiet, and even in the dim light Gerard could tell that he was clenching his teeth. He’d bet money that Jack was a lot more afraid than he was letting on.

Together, the six of them walked amongst the trees in a straight line towards the opposite side of the room. The space must have been huge, Gerard thought, it felt as though it could stretch on forever. 

They hadn’t moved far when a dark gap between the trees ahead of them began to move. Gerard jumped and squeezed Lyn’s arm tight, jerking her a little to get her to look.

The shadows were taking shape, becoming something solid and familiar. When Jack saw it he let out an audible gasp and fell backwards, almost knocking Lauren down. She righted them both and opened her mouth, inhaling sharply as if she was about to snap at him but then she saw the figure too and her voice died on her. 

It took a second, but gradually Gerard realised what they were looking at and his fear eased just slightly. The figure was Death; it was still in it’s long flowing robes, but without its scythe it hadn’t been easy to spot amongst the trees.

“Sinners,” Death spoke to them in calm, quiet tones, “beware this place…”

Gerard’s skin crawled at the way Death talked, so hushed and creepy. He pressed tighter to Lyn, and felt the others squeezing in closer too, until they were huddled together like penguins on a shrinking ice float. 

“These woods are home to a witch.” Death informed them, speaking low and slow, sending shivers down Gerard’s spine. It’s hood moved as it gazed at each of them in turn and beckoned with its pale hand. “If thy wish to escape these trees with thy soul intact, then heed mine words… Do not step forth three by three nor two by two, but as a tree might do… Hide amongst the darkest shadows and thou can save thy soul…”

Death disappeared, moving backwards and melting into the darkness like ink in water. Gerard strained his eyes, trying to see where it had gone, but there was nothing left to see but trees and flashes of moonlight. He didn’t realise he was trembling until Lyn moved to grip his hand and he saw his quivering fingers lace with hers. 

“We have to go single file.” She whispered, her eyes darting about as she tried to spot the witch through the trees. “I think that’s what ‘as a tree might do’ means. We go on alone - like a tree grows.”

Gerard’s stomach sank and his look of horror matched the ones on Quinn and Lauren’s faces. Jack looked a little grey, but that could have just been the artificial moonlight… Only Lyn and Aaron seemed calm. 

“I don’t want to.” Quinn whispered, pressing into Aaron’s side. “I don’t want to go by myself. Maybe that’s not what it meant.” 

“You’ll be fine.” Aaron assured him, hugging him to his chest and planting a kiss to his forehead. “You’ve been brave so far, a witch isn’t too scary.”

Gerard caught Quinn’s eye over Aaron’s shoulder and the two of them shared a look of disbelief. As far as Gerard was concerned, a witch sounded _terrifying_. He didn’t imagine for one moment that they would be faced with a typical Halloween cookie-cutter witch with a pointed hat and warty nose. He could _feel_ that this witch was going to be far, far worse. 

“I’m not afraid to go on my own.” Jack scoffed, apparently determined to prove to them all just how courageous he was. “I’ll go first.”

Before anyone could so much as think about arguing with him, Jack strode off through the trees alone. He’d barely gone a few metres before the darkness swallowed him, and soon even the sound of his footsteps rustling over the leaves had disappeared. 

Gerard swallowed hard and looked at the others, his heart racing. He had come to like them all so much, the last thing he wanted to do was leave them. 

“What should we do?” He asked softly. 

Aaron squinted as he tried to see through the trees to where Jack had gone, but the moonlight was over the other side of the room and it was no use. He exhaled a long, thoughtful sigh and then slowly let go of Quinn. 

“I’ll go check it out.” He offered, going to turn away but Quinn whined and grabbed his hand. “It’s okay, I’ll let you know what I see.” Arron promised, smiling at him and giving his fingers a squeeze. “Stay here.” He didn’t speak loudly, or even firmly, but Quinn immediately let go of his hand and fell back obediently. His eyes were wide and concerned, but he didn’t say anything as Aaron turned and followed Jack into the trees.

They waited.

The leaves on the trees closest to them rippled as if touched by a breeze and Gerard instinctively wrapped his arms around himself to keep warm. 

Nobody spoke. Nobody dared make a sound. They just waited.

At length, the sound of a twig snapping caused them all to jump, but then Aaron was emerging from the trees, his hands held up in a gesture of peace. 

“You’re right.” He said to Lyn, his face noticeably paler than before. “We have to go on alone. As you come through the trees there’s a clearing with the witch. Then beyond that there’s a cave, which I think is our goal. But the trees are too spaced apart for us to all go at once.”

Aaron beckoned for them to join him, and he went on speaking to them in hushed tones as they all began to step into the darkness of the trees. 

“Jack is waiting on ahead. He agrees that we should all watch each other make the journey, to get an idea of what we need to do.”

Gerard’s stomach flipped and the back of his neck prickled uneasily. It was a good plan, but it didn’t bode well for whoever had to go first. 

“I’ll go first.” Aaron whispered, as if reading his mind. “Then whoever’s feeling the most brave should go last, so no one really frightened is left alone.” Aaron glanced at Quinn as he said it, and Gerard felt a rush of affection towards the two of them.

“Let old big balls through there go last then.” Lyn scoffed, referring to Jack. “He’s so keen to prove his bravery.”

Aaron hushed her softly, but not because of Jack. As they stepped past a particularly large tree trunk, the clearing he had told them about suddenly opened up before them, and in it, the witch.

Gerard went cold all over and nearly slipped on the mossy floor. 

Aaron held a finger to his lips and beckoned them all carefully through a thicket of skinnier trees, towards Jack who was hiding behind a conveniently placed rock. They were all able to squeeze out of sight behind it, but if they peeked around the edges they could clearly see the witch, barely ten feet away. 

She was crouched in the centre of the clearing, huddled over her knees to sweep her hands over the damp moss on the ground. She was surrounded by an assortment of dead animals, bones and pebbles inscribed with symbols. She had laid out twigs to make rune shapes, and was muttering under her breath.

She was entirely naked, and so caked with mud that you couldn’t even tell the colour of her skin. Her hair, made up of long, white dreadlocks, fell all the way to her backside; and atop her head she wore a crown of tiny bird skulls, their beaks pointing outwards. From the centre of the crown, rose a pair of antlers.

“Fuck sake…” Lyn whispered, closing her eyes for a moment and leaning heavily on the rock. “I do not want to do this…”

Lyn’s fear was so surprising that it increased Gerard’s tenfold. He looked at her in shock, his eyes wide and lips parted. 

“B - But you have to.” He whispered, trying hard to ignore the thundering of his pulse. “You can’t be scared.” He tried to laugh, but it came out shaky and shrill, making him gasp and cover his mouth quickly before the witch heard him.

Aaron held his fingers to his lips again, his own eyes wide, and Jack thwacked Gerard on the arm with the back of his hand. Gerard barely felt it.

“I’ll go first.” Aaron whispered firmly, looking around at them all with a fierce expression. “Watch me, and then when I’m in the cave, someone else go.”

“Aaron-” Quinn reached out with a whimper, but Aaron just kissed his knuckles and then went ahead anyway.

_It’s not real. It’s not real, it’s not real, it’s not real._ Gerard thought frantically to himself as he watched Aaron start to step carefully through the trees.

The moment he came out from behind the rock and started to head in the direction of the cave, the witch got to her feet. 

“Who goes there?” She cooed, her voice soft and low, thickly accented. “Who is hiding in the woods, so late at night?” She began to step forward over the moss, keeping her body low. She reminded Gerard of a stalking cat, and even with the mud coating her, he could see the way her muscles rippled in her back and shoulders.

Aaron glanced in her direction and darted behind a tree just in time for her to turn and look his way. She paused, gazing into the trees for a long while, like she was waiting.

Behind the rock, Gerard’s heart was beating fit to burst, and he could only imagine how Aaron must be feeling. Gerard had to keep his hands pressed to his mouth so he didn’t shout out to him by accident. 

Aaron waited, his back to the tree, until the witch turned slowly away. She moved back to her original position, and once she was bowed over her knees again, Aaron moved.

Gerard watched with bated breath as he slipped amongst the trees, hiding behind each one he came to and always checking to see where the witch was looking. 

The woman had gone back to muttering and feeling the moss, but every now and then she would look up and jerk her head round like she had heard something. 

At one, heart stopping moment, Aaron hid behind a tree directly in front of her and she began to crawl through the grass like something out of The Ring. She kept her chest low to the ground, and moved forward with her knees above her ears. 

Gerard had to turn away, a scream threatening to burst out of his throat, but when he looked up again, Aaron had darted silently to another tree further away, and was crouched down low. 

The witch eventually turned away again, and whilst her back was turned, Aaron sprinted for the cave. It was only a few metres away, but it looked like miles from where Gerard was standing and he couldn’t believe Aaron’s daring.

The risk paid off though.

Aaron darted into the cave and disappeared into the shadows for a moment. When he appeared again, he looked flushed, and his chest was heaving, but he grinned at them and waved for them to go ahead.

Everyone looked at each other.

No one looked ready to go.

“So…” Lyn cleared her throat when her voice was barely audible and tried again. “Who feels bravest then?”

They all glanced around at one another again, but Jack was quick to insist it was him. 

“Pssh, that looks easy.” He scoffed. “I’m not scared at all.”

“Good. You go last then.” Lyn snapped at him, her tone leaving no room for any arguments. 

Gerard saw a flicker of horror pass over Jack’s face, but he schooled it quickly and clenched his teeth, giving one, stiff nod. 

“Fine.”

“C - Can I go next?” Quinn asked softly, his voice high and frightened. “I want to g - get it over with.” 

Lyn looked to Gerard and Lauren, and when they both nodded, she nodded too. 

“Okay Quinn, you next.” She agreed, giving his shoulder a little squeeze.

Quinn looked like he’d rather die than sneak through the trees past the witch, but he forced his legs to move and stepped forward. Gerard touched his fingers lightly and tried to smile at him, though it came out weak and shaky. Lauren kissed his cheek and whispered _good luck_ , and then they all huddled behind the rock again to watch.

Quinn glanced round the edge to check where the witch was, and when he saw she was back in her original position, he made a dash for the closest tree.

Immediately, the witch stood again and looked around with fierce, amber eyes. 

“Spies in the darkness?” She hissed, walking slowly towards the treeline. “Why don’t you show yourselves, pretty ones?” She cocked her head so violently to one side that she looked as though she might snap her neck.

Gerard felt sick and he looked away again, barely able to breathe he was so on edge. 

Quinn kept his back to the trunk behind him, not daring to try and look to see what was happening. Instead he glanced back towards the others, and waited for Lyn to nod at him before he moved on to the next tree.

Aaron watched from the cave and smiled at Quinn encouragingly every time he looked his way. But then, at the halfway point, Quinn stumbled and fell over a tree stump. 

“Agh!” He landed heavily on the ground and gasped, covering his mouth in horror. He looked towards the clearing and almost screamed when he saw the witch slithering his way across the moss. 

“No!” Quinn scrambled to his feet, but in his panic he couldn’t get up quick enough, he darted for the next tree but the witch had already seen him. 

“We need to distract her!” Lyn gasped, and before anyone could try to convince her not to, she ran out from behind the boulder and screamed at the top of her lungs.

The witch hesitated in her tracks and then turned, swaying her her head side to side to try and catch where the noise had come from. Lyn had already hidden herself behind a tree, and Gerard could see her chest heaving with panicked breaths.

The witch paused, as if in thought, but then began to tread slowly back towards the start of the clearing. 

Behind the rock, Gerard and Lauren dropped quickly to the ground, making sure they couldn’t be seen. Jack scoffed but joined them. He looked calm at first glance, but this close, Gerard could see that his hands were shaking.

Time seemed to stand still for a long while, as everyone kept motionless and silent. The witch came close to them, but didn’t step much farther than the first line of trees, and she soon slipped back into the clearing.

When she had gone, Gerard released the breath he had been holding and slowly lifted himself up onto his haunches to see what was going on.

Quinn had taken advantage of the distraction to dart the rest of the way to the cave, and Gerard felt a rush of relief when he saw that he was in Aaron’s arms, holding onto him tight.

Lyn had moved on too, and was weaving her way through the trees quickly. She hid behind each one for barely a second before moving onto the next. Her black hair and dark outfit made her difficult to see, even with such pale skin, and she moved with such silent grace that Gerard found himself wondering if she was a dancer.

The witch barely stirred during Lyn’s journey, and when she made it to the cave with no incident, Lauren hurried to volunteer to go next.

“I got this.” She insisted, offering up a small grin before she left the safety of the rock.

Lauren tried Lyn’s technique, moving fast and keeping high on her tiptoes. The witch stood up and moved towards the trees, but it was clear that she genuinely had no clue where Lauren was. She made a few threatening remarks, and came close to the treeline, but Lauren made it to the cave quicker than any of them.

Gerard was astounded, but his fear hadn’t lessened any to see Lauren do so well. Gerard was many things, but graceful wasn’t one of them. He was confident that he couldn’t move as quickly or as silently as the girls, even if he tried.

“You’re up Gerard.” Jack told him with a cold sneer. “Good luck.” The way he said it made it clear he didn’t mean it at all, and Gerard felt embarrassed tears stinging in his eyes. He didn’t want to move away from the rock, but he didn’t want to be left with Jack either.

_You’re a grown ass man._ He told himself mentally, trying to summon up his courage. _Just fucking do it._

With Jack’s eyes burning a hole in Gerard’s spine, and the witch’s presence to his left making him shudder, Gerard reluctantly started forward.

The gap between the rock and the first tree was barely three feet, but it felt like much more. Gerard made it one double step, but the witch got to her feet as she had with everyone else and started towards him. 

“Why do you hide?” She cooed in that thickly accented voice. “Come here pretty, and let me see you…”

Gerard ignored her and pressed himself tight to the tree trunk. His heart was beating so fast it was making him breathless, and for what felt like an age he merely stayed where he was and tried hard not to breathe too loudly. 

He became aware of movement from the corner of his eye and he turned his head to look. Jack was glaring at him, waving at him with his hands to hurry up. 

“Go! Go!” He mouthed at him, his expression twisted up with impatience. 

Gerard gulped, but gave a tense nod of his head. He turned slowly so that he could peer around the tree towards the clearing. The witch was in the centre again. She was on her knees and was moving the rocks around to make a new pattern.

Gerard knew this was his chance. He slipped out from behind the tree and hurried to the next, keeping his gaze on the witch the whole time. He kept on running, his hands outstretched to feel for the trees, until the witch began to turn and he came to a halt behind the nearest tree.

Whilst the witch slithered about the moss, Gerard looked to see how far he had come and his stomach fell. He hadn’t gone anywhere near as far as he thought he had. The cave still looked like it was miles away, with Quinn, Lyn, Aaron and Lauren all waving at him to join them.

Gerard looked out at the witch again, steeled his courage and hurried on. 

The witch jerked her body round and started in his direction. Gerard skidded to a halt behind another tree, his stomach giving an almighty lurch. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck…” He whispered quietly, touching his forehead to the tree and closing his eyes. He breathed deeply, trying to compose himself before he had an actual coronary. The witch was at the treeline, close enough that he could see how long her nails were. The thought of them touching him made him nauseous.

“Come on Gerard!” Jack shouted suddenly, startling them all, even the witch. “What’s she gonna do huh? So she’ll touch you a bit, big deal.” Jack began to swagger forward, rolling his eyes. “This is so stupid. Sneaking around like idiots. Just keep going.” He sneered, apparently fed up of waiting.

Gerard stared at him with wide, horrified eyes.

The witch paused a beat, but then she twisted her body round and started towards Jack. She grinned wide, and Gerard noticed that her teeth were stained black. 

“Gee!” Aaron’s voice came to him through the trees, a barely audible hiss. “Gee, come on!” He was waving at him frantically, beckoning for him to hurry. 

Gerard looked over his shoulder again, at Jack who was strutting through the trees with confidence, right towards the witch. Clearly he thought nothing was going to happen.

“Come on Gee!” Aaron called out, a little louder. The witch didn’t even seem to notice, too intent on Jack.

Gerard ran.

Behind him, Jack was smirking as he made to walk right by the witch. She was hovering near him, her eyes narrowed. For a moment it looked as though he might be right, and that she wouldn’t do anything, but then as he bypassed her she suddenly lunged at him and caught him round the arms with both hands.

Jack’s initial yelp of surprise turned into a full throated scream of terror. 

Gerard didn’t dare turn to look. He could see the terror growing on the others’ faces as he neared the cave, and that was enough to make his blood run cold with fear.

As soon as he made it to the cave, Aaron grabbed him and ushered him inside, pushing and shoving to get him in faster. 

“Go! Go!” He urged him, hurrying to join him, but Lyn blocked them. 

“HELP! _HELP ME!_ ” Jacks shouts were so panicked and desperate, full of fear like Gerard had never heard before. There was no doubt in his mind that they were real. 

Unable to stop himself, Gerard turned to look.

Jack was on his back, being dragged by his wrists across the ground by the witch. She was surprisingly strong, and though Jack thrashed about and tried to get free, all he did was twist his arms up. 

The witch was moving in that awful, monstrous way, with her chest to the ground and her knees bent. She moved backwards, her head twitching from side to side as she laughed loudly. Her laughter became more and more manic the more Jack struggled, and even from a distance Gerard could see the amber of her eyes and the black of her teeth. 

“HELP! GUYS, HELP ME! FUUUUCK!” Jack was growing more and more afraid, screaming and yelling at the top of his lungs as he was dragged into the clearing. 

“Go! Fuck sake, everyone go!” Aaron barked, trying to get them all into the cave but Gerard was frozen with fear. 

“We can’t just leave him-” Lauren tried to protest, her voice full of uncertainty. 

“He’d leave any of us.” Aaron pointed out fiercely, and both Lyn and Lauren sagged in defeat. “You want to be the one to go out there and get him?” Aaron added, lifting one eyebrow pointedly. 

“No…” Lauren mumbled, and Lyn shook her head too.

“Then _go_.”

The girls turned and did as they were told, hurrying into the cave to join Quinn who was shuddering at the back. Gerard lingered at the mouth of the cave a little longer, staring in disbelief at the witch who was still dragging Jack through the clearing. She let him go with one hand so she could reach behind herself and grab one of the animal skulls littering the moss. She lifted it high above his head, as if to bring it down over him, and then Jack cried out - 

“ _MERCY!”_ At the top of his lungs.

Aaron steered Gerard away, pulling him gently now into the cave. 

“Come on, come on Gee, we gotta go.”

Gerard followed him, wide-eyed and trembling, away from the woods and the screaming he could still hear.


	6. The Escape Rooms: Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's FINALLY got some time off work! <3 
> 
> I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting AGAIN, but I tried to make this one a bit meatier to make up for it. Thank you all, as ever, for your unending patience and kindness <3 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter includes descriptions of hanging. 
> 
> (I promise sexy times are coming soon, but for now, dare you continue?)

The cave in the woods led into another room, dimly lit and unlike any other they had been in so far. 

At first, Gerard wondered if they had stepped into the witch’s home, but then decided against it. Whilst the room was certainly occult in appearance, it didn’t match that of the woods witch outside. 

This room was more like something from a 1900s magick show. It had drapes of red and purple silk hanging from the stone walls, and little tables and wooden chests littered the space, each one cluttered with an array of fascinating objects. 

The group slowly split apart, intrigued by the things around them, and with no clear threat they all silently walked around to inspect everything further. 

Gerard approached the table nearest him and slowly picked up a human skull from the centre. It was beautifully adorned with a lace-like wrapping made of solid gold, and the eye sockets had been filled with two yellow diamonds. Gerard turned it over in his hand, admiring the craftsmanship. It felt solid and expensive; not simply a plastic Halloween prop. 

“Look at this, guys.” Lauren was rooting through one of the chests, and she grinned as she turned to face them all with a pair of steampunk style goggles over her eyes. “These are cool!”

Lyn put down the telescope she’d been peering through and joined Lauren at the chest. She rummaged inside for a moment and then stood back with a golden chain bikini bra in her hands. 

“Oh, now we’re talking.” She beamed, holding it up to her chest and looking down to see how it looked against her black t-shirt.

Gerard smirked, feeling some of his trepidation ease. This room was interesting, and there didn’t seem to be anything frightening in it. He felt safe enough to walk deeper into it, his fingers brushing gently over the objects all around them. 

“Must be a hell of a place to dust.” Quinn grinned cheekily, trying a purple turban on. “Are we locked in again?”

The look on everyone’s faces made it obvious that no one had even considered that it could be another escape room, but a quick look at the way they’d come in and the one other doorway out revealed that they were, once again, locked in.

“Oh well.” Lyn didn’t seem too concerned. “At least looking around this one will be fun.”

“Any idea where the clues are?” Aaron asked, gazing around with interest. “All this bric-a-brac must be to distract us.”

“And it’s working,” Lauren scoffed, grinning as she pulled a matching gold chain panty from the chest, “oh, yes. Lyn you have to put these on.”

Lyn laughed heartily and held up the panties as well, strutting around with a playful wink. “If my girl was here I’d consider it. She would _love_ these.”

“I think I have a similar pair at home.” Gerard said thoughtfully, taking them all by surprise, including himself. 

There was a beat where no one said anything, and then Lyn cackled with laughter. “Well, well! The truth comes out!” She crowed, tossing the bra to Gerard. “Give us a little show, Gee!” 

“No chance.” Gerard dropped the bra onto the nearest table like a hot potato. “I’ve already got naked for you people, what more do you want?”

“A strip tease?” Aaron suggested, with a little quirk of his eyebrow. 

Gerard looked at him, cheeks gone bright red, and swallowed hard. He knew that Aaron was joking, but the thought of giving him a strip tease was oddly enticing. _Fuck_ , Gerard really needed to get laid.

“Oh man, this place is _fun_.” Lyn beamed, drifting around and looking at objects with vague interest and no urgency. “Now Jack’s gone we can actually have a good time.”

Gerard felt a little tinge of guilt, though whether it was because no one had tried to help Jack, or because they weren’t missing him now, he wasn’t sure. It seemed unkind, to have so much fun now he was gone, but then… Jack hadn’t exactly been kind himself. 

“There really doesn’t seem to be any clues anywhere.” Aaron was frowning as he walked about the room, trying to find something they were supposed to read, or a puzzle they should solve. “There must be something, somewhere.”

Lyn and Lauren were more preoccupied in having fun, but Quinn and Gerard both dutifully started searching for clues. 

Gerard began searching the various objects on the tables, picking them up and turning them over in his hands before moving along to the next. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was looking for, only hoped that he would know a clue when he found one. 

In the centre of the mass of tables was a slightly larger, round table, with a chair on either side. It was the emptiest of all the furniture, with just one single item in the centre. Gerard moved closer to take a look, inspecting the item with interest. It seemed to be some sort of ornate stand, with four feet and clasps that curled slightly inwards. He recognised it, but he wasn’t sure why. 

Gerard hovered his hand over it, feeling the sharpness of the clasps, when Quinn gave a little shout. 

“Guys!” He was stood at a small writing desk, which he had opened to look inside. He held an open journal in his hands, which he tilted out towards them to reveal the hidden compartment carved into the pages. Inside the space was an old fashioned iron key. 

“Well done, Quinn!” Aaron beamed, rushing towards him to take the key and press a quick kiss to his lips. “This must be the way out!”

Aaron jogged to the locked door and tried the key, but his face fell when it didn’t fit. 

Gerard was surprised to discover he wasn’t upset, or even surprised. “It wouldn’t be that easy.” He said doubtfully, continuing to look around. “This seems important…” He indicated the metal stand he’d been inspecting, and Aaron frowned as he came closer to see it. 

“What is it?”

“It’s a crystal ball stand.” Lyn answered him with a little gasp of excitement. She dropped the bundles of fabric she’d been pulling from the chest and came over to the centre table. “I bought one a few years ago from this really quirky shop in town.” She looked at it with a little pout of disappointment. “But where’s its ball?”

“Maybe we have to find it.” Lauren suggested, joining them at the table until the five of them surrounded it. “It’s probably hidden in the rest of this crap.”

“But why hide the key?” Quinn frowned, looking at it almost wistfully. 

“To throw us off the scent?” Lyn shrugged. 

“Or maybe it will come in useful later.” Lauren added, equally as unphased. “Or maybe the crystal ball isn’t important?”

Aaron heaved a sigh and shook his head, starting to look frustrated. “We all need to get on the same page.” He insisted, but with nothing else to go on, nobody could agree on what they should be looking for. 

Whilst they all tried to talk it out, Gerard drifted away and went on looking. He was mostly just enjoying going through the different objects lying around, but he thought carefully about everything he touched; wondering whether it could be useful. 

The others were still having their discussion when he opened one of the other chests and stood back in surprise. 

Inside were various textbooks and maps, but everything was covered in a dense spray of something dark. The light was too dim to make out what colour the liquid was, but Gerard suspected it was probably blood. 

He swallowed thickly, resettled his nerves, and reached into the chest. 

The first book he drew out was a book of Tarot. The pages were all stuck together with the dried substance, but he was able to peel a few apart. As he did so, three tarot cards slipped from the book and onto the floor. 

Gerard looked at them and felt his heart leap. 

“Look at this.” He called to the others as he bent to retrieve the cards. Their images were iconic and familiar, even though Gerard had no experience with tarot himself. “Tarot cards,” he turned to hold them out for the others to see, “The hanged man, Death, and The Devil.” 

“Oh, fuck.” Lyn gently took the cards from Gerard and spread them out between her hands. She turned them over, looking for other clues, but the cards were unblemished. 

Aaron moved to look into the chest as well, and pulled out a map of the constellations. It was highly detailed, beautiful to look at but complicated. Several stars were circled with ink, and on the bottom of the parchment the words _illuminate the path_ had been written.

“Illuminate the path?” Aaron mumbled with a frown. “What path?”

No sooner had he asked the question than a flaming torch burst to life in a sconce on the wall. Gerard jumped in surprise and stepped back, almost knocking over a table of thimbles and making Quinn yelp.

“S - Sorry!” Gerard quickly apologised, reaching out to steady him. “Scared me.” He explained with a sheepish grin. 

“You and me both.” Quinn laughed breathlessly, patting Gerard’s arm with a smile. 

Aaron smirked at them, but he wasted no time before he hurried across the room to fetch the torch. He held it carefully in one hand and gazed around a moment, frowning. Gerard could practically see the cogs turning in his head. Something had clearly caught his attention, and he thought about it for a second before he reached out and seized one of the wall hangings.

“Aaron?” Quinn started forward, but fell short when Aaron suddenly gave the hanging a hard yank and tore the material down off the wall. “Fucking hell! Aaron, what are you do-” Quinn stopped again, his jaw hanging open as Aaron held the torch up to the wall. 

“Look!” He grinned at them all, excitement radiating off him.

The stone wall beneath the hanging silks was covered in torches. Dozens and dozens of them, resting in metal sconces that seemed to be placed with no clear pattern. They were as high as the ceiling and as low as the floor, some close together and others far apart. Gerard frowned at them, confused for a moment, until Aaron began striding around the room, tearing down more silks and he realised what he was looking at. 

“Are they stars?” He gasped, turning around and rushing to the other side of the room to help tear down the hangings. “They match the map?”

“Of course!” Lyn sounded overjoyed and she rushed to help too. 

Soon enough, they were all ripping down the silks, leaving them in colourful pools on the floor until every wall was bare. 

Now they could see them all together, that the torches represented major stars was obvious. There was no other explanation for their bizarre placements.

“I think we need to light some of them.” Aaron moved back to the centre table and spread the map across it. He waited until the others had joined him, and then he touched one of the circled stars and drew his finger across the map, touching each of the circled stars as he went. 

“I think this is the path.” He explained, tracing it once more with his fingertip. “We light the correct torches to illuminate the path.” He sounded so confident his voice was shaking with it, his lips tugged up into a smile. “We just need to figure out which wall represents which piece of the map.” 

Gerard looked doubtfully at the dark, stone walls and their hundreds of torches. “Easier said than done.” He pointed out. 

Aaron turned to follow his gaze, frowning to himself. He picked up the constellation map and held it out at arms length, his eyes flicking between it and the walls to try and figure out where one edge of the map began. 

“If we can figure out where,” Aaron looked down and pointed at the star closest to the left edge of the map, “Aquarius is, then it stands to reason that the rest of the map will just… continue on.” He turned, sweeping his hand out in front of him to indicate the other walls. “Like, this map is the walls okay?” He pulled the edges of the map to make a cylinder. “So I guess it’s as if we’re standing inside it, like this.” He wiggled his fingers inside the cylinder to indicate themselves. 

“So which of these torches is Aquarius?” Lyn picked her way back through the assortment of tables and chests to approach one of the walls. “How do we figure it out?”

“We need to try and match up the torches to the stars.” Aaron sighed, following her and holding the map out for them both to see. “Somehow.”

The task, in theory, was simple enough; but of course, the furnace wasn’t named after the Devil for no reason. It was _hellish_. For what felt like forever, they drifted around the room, trying to work out which torch was which star, lighting a few only for them to sputter and fade out after a minute or two.

Gerard and Quinn eventually broke away from the group, searching through the other chests for any other clues, but they had nothing. Their frustration increased, everyone getting restless and irritated, until at long last, Aaron lit a torch and cried out in shock when it’s flame crackled and turned green. 

“Guys!” He shouted, jumping back and turning to beckon Quinn and Gerard back over. “I found it!”

“Finally!” Quinn laughed, darting over and jumping into Aaron’s arms. He kissed him hard on the mouth and then dropped back down with a grin. 

“So if this is Aquarius,” Lyn was steaming on ahead, the map now in her hands, “we need Hercules next… So it must be…” She hovered her hand over the wall, carefully brushing over various torches before stretching up to pat one high above their heads, “this one.”

Aaron let Quinn go with a final peck to his lips, and leaned up to touch his flame to the torch. It took a moment, but then the flame caught hold, blazing orange for a split second before sputtering and crackling and turning purple. 

“Oh my God.” Lauren squeaked, so full of excitement that she was biting on her nails. “Which one’s next!?”

“Serpens!” Lyn declared, growing in confidence as she moved to another torch not too far away. Aaron lit it and they all cheered with delight when it flared blue. “Now Corvus!” Lyn moved along, lower this time, and Aaron followed her, lighting each torch as she shouted the stars. “Leo! Hydra! Carina! Oreon! Aries!” 

The flames burst to light with each touch of Aaron’s torch; yellow, black, pink, orange, white, until finally-”

“The last one,” Lyn exclaimed, the five of them breathless from their run around the room, “phoenix.” Lyn waited, holding her hand near the correct torch until Aaron had lit it and the flame blazed a deep, unnatural red. 

They all cheered in delight, but fell silent as a hidden doorway suddenly opened up before them and took their breath away.

It opened up into a smaller, circular room, with a large stained glass window shining light over a stone altar. Atop the altar were eight glass jars, big enough to hold a basketball each and full of coloured water - each colour of the rainbow, and then one that was completely clear. 

Around the edges of the room were stone statues of naked men and women. There were seven of them in total, each one stood straight and tall with their arms outstretched. In the small space it looked almost like they were reaching out to one another, and around their eyes, scarves of coloured silk and had been loosely tied. 

“This is weird…” Lauren laughed uneasily and led the way slowly into the room. She stepped up to the altar, looking curiously at the jars of water and then at the statues with the coloured scarves. “It must be some sort of puzzle.”

“Look, here.” Lyn had followed on behind Lauren, and she nudged her gently aside to point out an inscription carved into the base of the altar. “ _I hide in plain sight.”_

“What does that mean?” Gerard went next, looking around with interest at the statues. “There are footprints here.” He pointed out, noticing the imprints at the base of each statue, pointing outward. His heart began to beat faster and a feeling of dread came over him. 

Aaron, who seemed comfortable as ever, stepped up to the nearest statue and placed his feet over the footprints. It forced him to stand with his back to the statues chest, it’s arms either side of him. 

A quick sweep around the rest of the room revealed only a set of stone steps leading up to the altar, which if they stood on, meant they could look down over the jars. The water was coloured but transparent, and there was nothing to be seen in the jars. 

“Try lining up with the other footprints.” Aaron suggested, nodding to the other statues. 

Everyone did as they were told, choosing a statue each and standing with their backs against it. Each of the scarves around their eyes matched a colour of the rainbow. Aaron chose red, Quinn orange, Gerard yellow, Lyn indigo, and Lauren violet. The green and blue statues remained empty. 

“There should have been seven of us.” Lyn spoke with a long groan of horror. “Seven people for seven statues.” 

Gerard looked around stupidly, but of course Lyn was right. Without Jack and Anna, they had no one else to fill the other footprints. 

“What do we do?” He asked softly, worrying his lower lip between his teeth. “They can’t stop us from moving on just because they left, can they?”

“The jars must mean something too.” Lyn pointed out, looking over at them. “Maybe we should pick a jar each and bring it to the right statue.”

“But then where does the clear one go?” Lauren asked. 

“Leave it on the altar?” Quinn was already starting forward, moving away from his statue to climb the steps to the altar. He tried to pick up the orange jar, but it was far too heavy to lift. “I… I think it’s stuck.” He said doubtfully, trying to push it instead with no success. 

“Let me help you-” Aaron went to step forward, but before he could move, the statue he was stood against lurched forward, whipping the scarf away from its eyes and stretching it out long in front of Aaron’s throat in one swift movement. 

Aaron jerked backwards, bumping into the statue and realising with a jolt that what appeared to be cold stone was in fact soft and warm.

“Fuck - Quinn, stay there!” He cried, holding out a hand in a silent order of _stay_.

The others had cried out when the statue had moved, but not because they had seen it. Aaron looked to them all with wide eyes and felt his stomach drop when he saw that they too had been restrained by their own statues, their coloured scarves held threateningly in front of their necks.

Quinn turned to stare at them all, his hands clasped nervously over his heart. He was starting to tremble, and his eyes were large with fear. 

“A - Aaron?” He whimpered, looking to him anxiously. “What do I do?”

“It’s okay Quinn.” Aaron spoke loudly so that his voice didn’t tremble, breathing deep to stay calm and composed. “It’s just a puzzle, okay? We just need to solve it.” He chewed on his lower lip as he looked around. “It’s got to be the jars… Try… Try feeling inside them?” He suggested. 

Quinn looked like he’d rather do anything than plunge his hands into the coloured water, but Aaron was looking at him with such a warm, calm expression that he found himself nodding anyway. He turned slowly back around, still quivering as he gazed uneasily at the jar of orange water. 

“O - Okay…” He moved one hand out, hovering his shaking palm over the top of the jar for a moment before slowly lowering it into the water. 

Nothing happened.

Quinn pushed deeper, leaning forward until his fingers were right at the bottom of the jar and the water was up to his elbow. 

“There’s nothing in here.” He whimpered. 

The jar may have been empty, but his search must have meant something. The statue with the orange scarf - where Quinn had once stood - suddenly bowed forward in a standing bend, it’s head and arms hanging limply towards the floor. 

“Good, good Quinn!” Aaron called, smiling encouragingly at him. “Try another!”

Quinn stared in horror at the bent statue, but he forced a wobbly smile at Aaron and nodded his head, turning to try the red jar next. He plunged his hand into this one with more confidence, waving it around a little in the water until he brushed the glass bottom with his fingertips. 

“Nothing in here- AARON!” He lurched away from the altar, almost falling down the steps in his haste to get to his dom. 

Aaron had been yanked back suddenly against the statue, and the red scarf was now tied tight around his neck. 

“Back! Get back!” Aaron gasped, his voice rough with surprise and breathlessness. The silk was soft and cool against his skin, and though it had been pulled taunt around his throat, he could still breathe. “It’s okay Quinn, I’m okay.” He assured him, though his heaving chest gave away how frightened he was. 

The statue behind him was perfectly expressionless, it’s hands holding tight to the ends of the scarf. It was perfectly clear that any wrong move would result in Aaron being choked. 

Gerard, watching from his spot barely a few feet away, turned his eyes warily to the yellow scarf held in front of him. He gulped. 

“K - Keep going Quinn.” Aaron tried to speak firmly, but the scarf was cutting off just enough air that his voice sounded gruff and weak. 

Quinn looked like he might burst into tears, but he nodded warily and turned back to the jars. He glanced over his shoulder to the others, and tried the green jar next. It was empty, but at least this time there was no person for the statue to choke. Instead it fell into a forward bend as the orange statue had, and hung there limply.

Quinn gulped and went for blue next. 

_Empty_.

The statue with the blue scarf flopped into a bend.

Now he had no choice but to try the colours that matched his new friends. 

“I… I don’t want to do this.” Quinn took a step back, his whole body trembling as he looked around. “What if I just safe word?”

“No!” All four of the others called out at once and Quinn jumped in surprise, his cheeks going pink. 

“No, Quinn.” Aaron said as calmly as he could muster with the scarf around his throat. “I - It’s okay. You’ve got this. If anyone here doesn’t want to continue they can safe word themselves, but we’re fine, okay? Just keep checking the jars.”

Quinn groaned softly, his eyes full of uncertainty. “There’s nothing in them.” He insisted, turning slowly to look at Gerard, Lyn and Lauren. “Guys?”

“Try the yellow one next.” Gerard took himself by surprise with how calm he sounded. He smiled kindly at Quinn, trying hard to ignore the racing of his heart. “I don’t mind a little choking.” He blushed bright red at his own words, but it was the truth. In fact, he rather liked it. 

To his right, Lyn started to laugh, weak and shaky, but amused. 

“Of course you don’t.” She sniggered, rolling her eyes fondly. “Always the quiet ones.”

Gerard grinned despite himself, and nodded encouragingly at Quinn. “Go ahead.” He urged him.

Calmed slightly, Quinn bit his lip and tried to smile. He turned back to the jars, leaning over the altar to reach the one with yellow water, and dipped his fingers into it. He waited a beat, took a deep breath, and then plunged his hand straight to the bottom. 

“Empty.” He groaned, but everyone else already knew.

Gerard’s statue had moved as rapidly as Aaron’s, wrapping the scarf around his neck and pulling tight to choke his air supply. The shock of it’s movements made Gerard gasp and fall against the chest behind him, but it really wasn’t too tight at all.

He inhaled deeply, and forced a quick smile for when Quinn turned to look at him. The poor man looked terrified, but the scarf looked worse than it felt. The silk was actually wonderfully smooth and sleek on his skin, and though it was disconcerting to feel the slight pressure around his throat, Gerard could withstand - and enjoy - far worse. 

“Keep going, Quinn.” Aaron called to him, smiling gently. “You’re doing so great. I’m so proud of you.”

Quinn flushed bright pink and the smile that came to his lips then was weak but genuine. He glanced over at Lyn and Lauren, who were both shaking but were quick to assure him they were fine. 

“I’ll go next.” Lyn offered. “See what’s getting Gee so hot.” She grinned wickedly and flashed a wink in Gerard’s direction, making him laugh breathlessly.

Quinn tried the indigo water next and bit back a sob when the jar proved to be as empty as the others and Lyn was next to be choked. 

The violet jar yielded the same results, and once Lauren was tied up in her scarf too, the real panic began to set in. 

“No!” Quinn shouted, turning around and sobbing when he saw the statues start to pull on the ends of each of the scarves, slowly tightening them more and more with each passing second. “NO - That’s all of them! I tried all of them!”

Gerard lifted his hands instinctively to his throat, grabbing at the silk around it but the statue just went on pulling. He hurried to inhale deep, filling his lungs and holding the air there for as long as he could before breathing out just a little. He rationed his oxygen, trying to keep his chest expanded whilst inhaling as much as possible against the tightening scarf, and breathing out the smallest amounts he could.

Beside him, Aaron did the same, but Lyn and Lauren were clearly not used to being asphyxiated and their panic was so tangible Gerard could taste it. He reached out a hand towards Lyn, trying to reach her, to reassure her, but he couldn’t quite reach.

Lyn didn’t even notice. She was scratching and scrabbling at the scarf, trying to scream but she was soon too breathless to make much more than a high-pitched wheeze. 

“Quinn!” Aaron had his head tipped back, lengthening his neck as much as possible. He looked down through his lashes at Quinn who was dancing around on the steps, clearly panicking and unsure what to do. “Calm… Calm…” He wheezed at him, drawing in a ragged breath as the scarf around his throat tightened further. “Try… T - Try… The clear…jar…” He spoke calmly, as firmly as he could, but his voice was strangled and weak. His eyes though were clear, so calm they were almost fierce, forcing Quinn to hold his gaze. 

“Try… Quinn…”

It took a split second, but then Quinn snapped out of his fear and turned back to the altar. He rushed to get to the jar right in the centre, the one filled with plain water. He practically climbed on top of the altar, and plunged both hands rapidly into the jar so that the water slopped messily over the sides. 

“Ah!” Quinn’s eyes went wide and his body went rigid with excitement. “I found something!” He sloshed around in the water, scrabbling for purchase.

From where Gerard was standing, the jar looked completely transparent, with nothing inside it but water. But he could see the way Quinn’s hands cupped around something, the way his fingers slipped beneath it and the way his forearms tensed with the effort of lifting something heavy. 

Gerard was barely able to wheeze in another breath, and he wondered if he had been strangled enough already to be losing his mind. Quinn wasn’t holding _anything_ , or so it seemed, but as his hands lifted out of the chair, something round and clear came with him.

A crystal ball.

Gerard gasped in surprise, which was fortuitous, because at the exact moment that Quinn revealed the ball, the statues released their scarves and dropped the silk to the floor.

Lyn and Lauren both inhaled sharply, causing a head rush of oxygen that sent them both crashing to their knees. Gerard stumbled slightly, and had to grab at his statue for support, but he recovered quickly enough. 

He rushed to the girls, kneeling beside them to check they were okay, whilst Aaron jogged to Quinn and lifted him into his arms. 

“Well done!” He beamed at him, hugging him tight but only for a moment. He let him go quickly, too breathless to do much more than smile at him.

“I hide in plain sight… Fucking hell.” Lyn was hunched over her knees, breathing heavily. “Fucking _hell_.”

The crystal ball had been invisible when resting in the clear water. It was clever. Devilishly clever. 

“I hate this place.” Lauren whispered, her voice high and tight. “How is that legal?”

Gerard laughed shakily and offered them each a hand to help them to their feet. “I’m sure they wouldn’t have actually strangled us to death.” He shrugged, trying to smile sweetly when they both glared at him. “Really, they could have gone much tighter than that-”

“We get it Gerard, you’re a kinky bastard.” Lyn scoffed, though she grinned to show she didn’t mind.

“Are you all okay?” Quinn asked anxiously, cradling the crystal ball to his chest and soaking his shirt. “I’m sorry, I should have realised it was the clear jar all along-”

“It’s fine Quinn.” Lauren kissed his cheek with a smile. “We’re fine.”

“Yeah, let’s go put it on the stand and see if all this shit was worth it.” Lyn patted Quinn heartily on the shoulder and then led the way back into the main room. 

The star torches were still lit, giving the place a mystical feel as they all traipsed over to the centre table. Quinn hefted the crystal ball onto its stand, and then they waited.

There was a moment of stillness, and then the torches flickered out and a green light began to glow eerily up from the floor. 

The crystal ball filled with smoke, making Lyn gasp and grab Gerard’s arm, each of them staring with wide eyes as a face began to emerge from the vapours and take shape within the crystal ball. 

“Aaah… Sinners…” The face was that of a typical gypsy woman, complete with tasseled head scarf and large hoop earrings. She looked ghostly with the green underlighting casting deep shadows beneath her cheeks and eyes, and long black curls swayed around her head as though she were floating in water. “Congratulations on solving my riddle…”

“Who are you?” Lauren blurted out, then covered her mouth with her hands as if she had done something wrong. 

The head turned towards her, but the misty eyes didn’t seem focused, despite pointing right at her. 

“I am Madame Mimi.” The voice also seemed disjointed, coming from all around them. “I was a seer in life, and now also in death.” The head swam in the ball, turning to look at each of them. “If you wish to journey on, reveal tarot cards to me, and I shall guide you.”

Gerard looked uneasily at the others, but then he picked up the tarot cards they had left on one of the tables and spread them out in front of the crystal ball. The gypsy head tilted forward, gazing at them. 

“The hanged man, inverted.” Madame Mimi spoke in low, mystical tones. “As you continue your journey, take heed of this advice, or you shall find your way blocked. Sacrifices must be made in order to evolve.”

The head turned, looking to the middle card next. “Death. This card has many meanings…” She cooed, her eyes rolling to look at them in turn. “It can represent the need to accept change… the cycle of birth-life-death and rebirth… Or… Perhaps in this case, simply death.” She said ominously. 

Gerard looked around at the others, each of them meeting his gaze with just as much anxiety on their faces as his own. Madame Mimi went on.

“The Devil.” She paused, gazing around at them all. “This card represents an addiction to the material world and sex… You must let go these desires if you wish to be spiritually enlightened.” Mimi spoke slowly, narrowing her eyes as she looked at them each in turn. “Look at the card…” She said darkly, waiting until they all looked down at the tarot card for The Devil. 

It was from the common Rider Waite deck, and depicted Baphomet on a throne, with a man and a woman chained before him. 

“See the chains around their necks.” Madame Mimi urged them, her face gone sallow and dark. “See how loose they are… They could remove the chains easily if they wanted to. Because The Devil does not imprison with bars and chains; but with temptation.”

Her words seemed to hang in the air around them, making Gerard’s spine tingle. She waited and then slowly, slowly her face began to fade away. 

“I leave you with this, sinners… Take the key, and remember that the path of enlightenment requires sacrifice. But the path to darkness, even more so…”

Madame Mimi’s face disappeared in a swirl of smoke and the room went dark. A heartbeat passed, and then two torches lit up on either side of the locked door they had yet to go through.

Without a word, Aaron led the way across the room to it. Quinn followed, but not until he’d snatched up the key that had been hidden in the book. He went to try it in the lock again, but the door was already swinging open. 

“Bring it with you.” Aaron shrugged when Quinn looked at it blankly. “She said to bring it.”

Gerard looked nervously at the crystal ball one last time, and the tarot cards spread before it, and then hurried after the others. 

The door led them into a long, rectangular room. It was as long as a corridor, but slightly wider. Wide enough for three rows of men to line up down it’s centre. 

Gerard’s pulse quickened immediately, and he began to feel sick as they walked slowly between the rows. Each man stood silently atop a chair, a noose around his neck. They were all blindfolded with black masks, and it looked as though their lips had been stitched shut with a thick, black thread. Blood branched down each of their chins and down their throats, but not a single man moved or made a sound. 

“Oh, I don’t like this.” Lauren whispered, holding close to Lyn with a shudder. Her eyes were wide and glossy, filling with tears. “I really don’t like this.”

Gerard agreed, but he didn’t say as much. 

The room was hot and stifling, and it smelled sour. Like sweat and vinegar. It was so warm that perspiration began to bead on the back of Gerard’s neck almost instantly and he tugged uncomfortably at the collar of his shirt. 

“Is it hot in here?” He asked softly as they came gradually to the other side of the room. 

“Sinners.” 

Gerard jumped and his heart tripped over it’s rhythm so much that he thought he might actually be having heart failure. But God, that _accent_ , he recognised it immediately. 

The Devil stepped out from behind one of the men, his black eyes glittering as he smiled at them. He had his hands clasped behind his back, making the buttons of his suit jacket strain slightly. When he came to a halt a few feet away from them, legs spread slightly, Gerard’s eyes were immediately drawn to his crotch. 

“My eyes are here, boy.” The Devil told him with a little quirk of his lips.

Gerard blushed bright red and stuttered an instinctive apology, so embarrassed that he almost jumped up to put a noose around his own neck. He forced himself to look into The Devil’s face, but couldn’t quite manage to make eye contact. The Devil didn’t seem to mind, he was smirking as if he was highly amused.

“Well done, for making it this far.” He said softly, looking at them each in turn with a curious tilt of his head. “I must admit, I did not expect any of you to solve my little puzzles.” He grinned slowly, and Gerard practically swooned. 

“So what happens now?” Aaron asked bluntly, standing up tall to try and hide his fear. Quinn, who was clinging to him, made no such attempt. He trembled freely in Aaron’s arms and kept looking around at the rows of men with terror in his eyes. 

“What happens next?” The Devil seemed amused by the question. He began to circle their little group with slow, measured steps. “That entirely depends on you, dear sinners, and your willingness to do as I ask.”

As soon as he said it, Gerard knew that he was going to be the weakest link in their group. The way The Devil spoke made it clear that he was not going to ask anything pleasant of them, and yet Gerard knew that he would do anything this man asked of him. Whether he was to get naked again, or choked or terrorised or caned, as he had warned over the intercom… He would do it all.

“I have been impressed with you.” The Devil said gently, his thick accent sending little thrills up and down Gerard’s spine. “Your tenacity and intelligence is… impressive.” He was leaning close to Lyn as he said it, his lips almost brushing her ear. His hands came to linger on her waist, making her shiver. 

“Of course…” The Devil paused a moment before drifting across to Lauren, “your loyalty to one another is… _questionable_. Abandoning your team mate to the witch…” He shook his head slowly, tutting the whole time. He touched Lauren’s cheek gently, his black eyes staring into hers. 

“J - Jack deserved it.” She whispered, trembling under The Devil’s touch. “H - He was m - mean.”

“Mean, was he?” The Devil repeated in a mocking tone. “How awful for you.” He leaned in closer, so close he could have kissed her, but then he moved on. 

“And what do I have here?” He smirked, standing back from Quinn and Aaron to get a good look at them. “Boyfriends?” He waited for a response, and received none. Aaron held his gaze fearlessly, and Quinn hid his face in his neck as he trembled. 

“No?” The Devil narrowed his eyes, gazing at them a moment longer before he smiled again. “Ah… No, something far more interesting, I think.” He stepped up to Aaron, holding his gaze with a knowing grin. “Which one of you is in the relationship?” He asked bluntly, lifting one eyebrow as if daring them to not answer.

Quinn peeked at him, his face a picture of surprise. 

“You?” The Devil immediately looked at him and started to laugh. “Well that _is_ interesting!” He laughed a moment longer, the sound dark and yet so wonderfully seductive as well. Before he walked away, he leaned in closer to Aaron and whispered in his ear, “don’t worry, I won’t tell him that you love him.”

Gerard’s stomach rolled and he glanced at the two men in surprise, wondering if it were true. It was awful because it really did seem so likely. Quinn had said he had a girlfriend, but it was hard to imagine it when he seemed so attached to Aaron.

Gerard was so preoccupied wondering about it, that he almost missed the way The Devil circled him, looking him over from all angles before finally coming to stand in front of him. 

“And you,” he smirked, shaking his head almost fondly, “I have been _very_ interested in you.” He touched a fingertip to Gerard’s forehead and then let it drop again. 

Gerard noticed that his fingertips were hot, leaving a burning mark on his skin like a brand.

“I’ve been interested in you too.” He blurted out without thinking.

The others looked at him as if he’d gone mad, and The Devil positively beamed. He reached out again, cradling Gerard’s jaw this time, and ran a thumb along his bottom lip. 

Gerard’s heart nearly stopped beating, and his lips parted of their own accord. He gazed intently into those dark, dark eyes and trembled but not with fear. 

“You’ll do as I ask, won’t you?” The Devil purred at him, rubbing his thumb more firmly over his lip until Gerard dared to nip it with his teeth. When that earned him even more of a grin, he sucked the tip right into his mouth and lapped his tongue around it. 

“Oh yes.” The Devil laughed, drawing his hand away before Gerard could get too engrossed. “You’ll do exactly as I say… You want to be mine, don’t you? Want to be another one of my little pets?” 

Gerard didn’t even think before he nodded. He was about a breath away from falling to his knees and begging to suck the man’s cock. 

“What do you want me to do?” He asked, voice breathless and husky. 

“Jesus Christ, Gerard.” Lyn muttered under her breath. Gerard ignored her. 

The Devil considered Gerard for a moment, cocking his head at him, as if he was trying to work out just how eager he really was. He looked at him for only a moment, but it was long enough to make Gerard’s cock stir in his jeans. He wondered if it was possible to get hard from simply a look, and decided that it must be. 

“You see that switch?” The Devil kept his eyes on Gerard as he inclined his head towards an old-fashioned wooden lever on the wall by another door. “Pull it.”

Gerard, and everyone else, turned their heads to look at it. There was no clear mechanism attached to it, and no sort of sign as to what pulling it might do. Gerard suspected nothing good, but…

“Gee?” Lyn sounded alarmed, her eyes going wide as Gerard started to walk towards the lever. “Gerard, wait! Wait, we don’t know what it does!”

“Gerard, think about this.” Aaron tried to persuade him, his voice soft but firm. Gerard’s eyelids fluttered slightly, but he kept on going. 

“Is this the only way to keep going?” He asked softly, looking over his shoulder at The Devil, who shrugged innocently at him.

“Pull it and find out.” He suggested, that dark smile making Gerard weak at the knees. 

“Gerard wait!” Lyn rushed towards him, grabbing his arm as he reached for the lever. “What are you doing? It can’t be as simple as pulling a switch - something bad will happen!” 

Gerard looked at her, biting his lip. He wanted to please The Devil; he wanted it desperately. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t thinking about it. 

“What happens if we refuse?” He asked her softly. “Surely the point of this room - of everything the gypsy woman said, is for us to be tempted right? If we say no, He’ll just keep trying to persuade us until we give in.” He looked back at The Devil once again, who just went on smiling sweetly at them. “There’s no other way out, is there?”

Lyn chewed on the inside of her cheek anxiously and looked around. The men standing in lines on their chairs were freaking her out, and there didn’t seem to be any clear puzzle. She hated to admit it, but she thought Gerard was right. 

“I… I just think it’s… too easy.” She said doubtfully. 

Gerard shrugged, reaching out and taking hold of the lever. “What’s the worst that can happen?” He asked, with more confidence than he really felt, and yanked the lever down.

No sooner had it reached the end of it’s descent, than every chair flipped over in unison. They clattered to the floor in a deafening ruckus, making Gerard jump violently and Quinn clap his hands over his ears with a whimper. 

“Well, that was easy.” The lights in the room all went out and The Devil disappeared with a loud, cruel laugh.

Gerard grabbed instinctively for Lyn, finding her hands just as one light in the centre of the room burst back on. It lit the space just enough for them to see that all of the men were now hanging, their feet kicking and twitching obscenely. A sob got stuck in Gerard’s throat, and tears sprung to his eyes. 

“Gee, what did you do!?” Aaron cried, grabbing Quinn to him and holding him tight as the light flickered and cast ugly shadows over the walls.

“Oh God, get us out, get us out!” Lauren squealed, rushing to Gerard and Lyn and dancing around them both in fear. 

The hanging bodies were turning slowly by their ropes, until their faces all pointed at the sinners. Lights seemed to flicker over them, until ghostly faces appeared over the top of their own - faces with sunken cheeks and demonic eyes, mouths gaping with broken teeth. 

A low, haunting sound began to fill the room; growing in intensity, until it became a shout, a _scream_ and the bodies reached out their hands to grab. 

Lyn shrieked and ran to the door, sobbing with Lauren as they both tried the handle at once, but it was locked. 

Gerard fell against the door, shouting and sobbing in panic as he scratched at the wood and kicked at the base. His spine was crawling, his muscles rippling with the anticipation of hands grabbing him at any moment. When Aaron suddenly pushed him aside he screamed so loudly it deafened even himself. 

“Out of the way!” Aaron was holding Quinn tight with one arm, and in the other hand he had the key from the other room. Quinn was ghastly white, his mouth hanging open but he looked frozen in fear. He hung uselessly from Aaron’s grip whilst he wrestled with the key, forcing into the lock and turning it just as the screams from the hanged men became unbearable.

Aaron wrenched the door open, and all five of them fought to get through it first. For a mad, heart-stopping second they blocked one another’s way through the door, but then at long last they all tumbled through it and came crashing onto the floor on the other side.

Gerard curled up into a ball, sobbing and shaking as Aaron turned and yanked the door shut with one last glimpse of the mayhem inside. As he slammed it back into its frame, he saw how badly his own hand was shaking and he hurried to tuck it to his chest. 

For a long moment, all of them remained on the ground, too overcome to move or speak. Lauren was crying softly, and Quinn was so shocked he was paralysed.

In the end, it was Aaron who recovered first and urged them all gently to sit up. He sat Quinn up first, cupping his face and gazing nervously into his eyes.

“Quinn?” He whispered, sweeping his hair back off his forehead. “Are you okay?” He asked softly, peppering his face in tiny kisses. Quinn stared unseeingly ahead for a moment, but then at last, as if thawed by the kisses, he inhaled sharply and began to shake. 

“A - Aaron…” He gasped, grabbing his hands and falling forward against his chest. “Oh God, that was awful…”

Gerard struggled slowly upright, tears staining his cheeks. Lyn and Lauren were still whimpering, but they both sat up when Aaron gently helped them, and soon they were all gazing at one another with pale, horrified expressions. 

“I don’t know how much more of this I can take.” Lauren whispered, her hands shaking so badly she could hardly tuck her hair behind her ear. “That was honestly the worst thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Do not forget my promise.” Another voice, deep and sombre suddenly interrupted them and made them all jump in terror once again. 

“Fuck!” Lyn cursed, clutching her chest and glaring at the reaper who seemed to appear as if from nowhere before them. “Beg for mercy, and I shall save thy soul.”

Gerard groaned quietly and pressed his face into his hands, trying to will his heart to calm. The temptation to safe word and get out of there was strong, and it was only the hope of seeing Frank or the handsome Devil again that made him hesitate. 

“We’re not safe wording.” Lyn said firmly when Lauren looked as though she might. Lyn hurried to wrap her arms around her, holding her close. “It’s okay, we can carry on, just a bit longer yeah?”

Lauren looked unsure, but she gave a watery smile and a timid nod.

Quinn looked like he’d rather die than continue, but with Aaron so determined to keep going, he forced a nod too. 

“Then ye have made thou decision.” Death turned slowly and swept a long fingered hand out to indicate something in the darkness. As he did so, blue flames sprung to life in a series of torches that stretched on down a dark tunnel.

Gerard heard Aaron gasp, and his own stomach dropped as he got to his knees and stared in amazement at the sight the torches revealed to them.

The tunnel was a river. The water was glowing blue in the darkness, and in the water was a wooden boat. It had four bench four bench seats inside it, and a figure head of a grinning skeleton at the front. The river stretched on only a short way, until a bend hid the rest of it from view. 

“Come.” Death beckoned them with it’s hand. “I shall ferry thee to the other side.”

Gerard climbed slowly to his feet, a sort of terrible exhaustion making his bones feel heavy. He didn’t even want to imagine what might be waiting on the other side, but with no other way to go but forward, he reluctantly joined the others into climbing into the boat. 

Death entered last and waited for them to get seated before it dipped the end of it’s scythe into the water and used it like a gondola’s pole to move the boat away from the edge. 

It glided gently over the surface of the river, as smooth as skating over glass. Lyn and Lauren were huddled up together on one bench, and Quinn and Aaron on another. Gerard was seated alone, and he couldn’t help but feel sick with guilt. He wondered what would have happened if he hadn’t pulled the lever, and began to fear that the others were wondering the same thing… If they were starting to turn against him, and would leave him behind as they had with Jack at the first chance they got. 

Gerard looked anxiously at Quinn, catching his gaze with a softly pleading look. Quinn gazed back, but before he could make any sort of expression, the boat tilted sickeningly and Gerard only had time to gasp before they were falling, falling, falling into an abyss.


	7. The Blood Bar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies in advance for any mistakes in this one guys - I wanted to get it out before I go back to work tomorrow and I did NOT give myself enough time >__> Please forgive me any typos! <3
> 
> Squick alert: As you may have guessed from the title, we've got blood in this one, and lots of it!

The boat reached the end of its descent with an almighty splash. A tidal wave of water rose before the head of the boat and came crashing down over their heads, soaking them all and making them cry out and squeal. 

“Oh, fuck!” Lyn waved her hands around her head, as if fanning herself might dry her now sodden hair. “What the _fuck!?_ ”

Quinn, who had hidden himself in Aaron’s chest with a cry of fright when the boat began to fall, resurfaced with a shaky laugh. He looked around at them all, dripping wet, their mouths open in shock, and laughed even harder. 

“This place is unreal.” Lauren grabbed her hair over her shoulder and squeezed her hands around it to wring out some of the water. “A fucking flume ride? Really?”

Gerard laughed sheepishly and pressed his fingers through his own hair. His shirt was drenched but his jeans were mostly dry, and as the boat continued on down the river, the temperature rose and rose until they were sweltering. 

“We’ll soon dry off.” Aaron assured them, smiling softly at Quinn. “It’s getting hot, isn’t it?”

“We’re descending into hell.” Lyn pointed out, wringing out her shirt in her hands. “Or at least, I guess that’s what we’re doing.”

The tunnel the boat was drifting through didn’t hold many clues. Their way was lit with blue, flaming torches, and the water glowed eerily. Gerard leaned over the side of the boat to take a closer look, and jumped back again when something seemed to swim to the surface for a moment. 

“Gee?” Aaron noticed his little startle and immediately turned towards him. “What is it?”

“N-Nothing.” Gerard rubbed his eyes, certain he was seeing things. “I just thought I saw a… a fish, or something.”

“A fish?” Lyn frowned and forgot about her hair and clothes in favour of leaning over the boat as well. Lauren joined her, and Aaron stretched over Quinn so he could look too, just as the thing moved to the surface again. 

“Quinn! Don’t look!” Aaron bolted back and held a hand over Quinn’s eyes before he could get any ideas. 

The thing in the water - and there was no doubt about it now - was a body. A dead body, sort of. But… not.

Gerard steeled his courage and leaned over the side again, squinting against the luminescent blue to try and see. The body appeared again, floating alongside the boat, face up. It’s eyes were misty like a pearl, it’s mouth was open in a silent cry of anguish. But it didn’t look solid at all. Though it appeared as though it were rising from the depths, the water around it didn’t stir. 

“There’s more, look!” Lyn pointed across a little way, and Gerard followed her gaze to see more ghostly figures gliding along in the water. There were men and women and children, appearing and disappearing as if swallowed by the water. 

Gerard looked up to the ceiling, trying to see if there was a projector or something like it that would cause the images, but if there was one, it was hidden well. 

“They’re lost souls.” Quinn said from where Aaron was still hiding his eyes. “It’s the river Styx, obviously.”

Aaron scoffed but smiled to himself, letting his hand fall away from Quinn’s eyes. “Okay, smart ass.” He laughed, hugging an arm around Quinn who grinned back at him. 

“Of course.” Lauren sighed, slapping a hand to her forehead. “That’s kind of cool.”

Despite the ghostly figures floating alongside their boat, the little group were fearless as Death ferried them along. Now that they knew what they were up against, they seemed quite content to enjoy the ride and float gently along the river. 

The heat only grew worse as they went, and soon Gerard had to fan himself, though it didn’t help. He supposed it made sense, if they really were going into hell, for it to be hot.

The others looked uncomfortable as well. Lyn was fanning herself too, and Aaron was tugging at his shirt as though he wished he could take it off.

For a while, no one spoke, and in their silence they began to notice a soft, ghostly sound coming from deeper down the tunnel. At first, only the quiet lapping of water against the boat could be heard, but then Gerard noticed a tune, and as he frowned and cocked his head, the others all noticed it too.

It echoed off the stone walls, bouncing and reverberating so that it was hard to make out; like listening to the ghostly echo of an ice cream truck from streets away. But as the boat came closer and closer to its destination, the music morphed, becoming something more solid, more pronounced…

_A piano_ , Gerard thought with a little frown, meeting Lyn’s gaze from across the boat. He opened his mouth to ask her if she could hear it too, but then paused when someone singing came clearly to them, echoing through the dark tunnel. 

“ _Well. They. Encourage your complete cooperation. Send you roses when they think you need to smile.”_

The piano again, closer now. 

“ _I can’t control myself because I don’t know how. And they love me for it, honestly. I’ll be here for a while-”_

The singer held the note, letting it stretch on and on and _on_ as the boat rounded the final turn and bumped to a stop against a small wooden dock. Death beckoned with his hand, gesturing for them to disembark without a word. 

Lyn looked around at everyone’s faces first, a little nervous as she stood and exited the boat. Lauren followed along behind her, then Quinn and Aaron, and finally Gerard.

The dock was so small, they barely all fit upon it. It gave them only one possible direction to go; to an open doorway set in the stone wall, glowing with an amber light and leading to wherever the music was coming from. 

As they stepped forward, the piano kicked in again and the singer dropped the note, inhaled sharply and continued. 

“So give them blood, blood, gallons of the stuff. Give them all that they can drink and it will never be enough. So give them blood, blood, blood-” The note held again, like the singer was waiting. 

Lyn entered the room first, and then came to such a sudden halt that the rest of the group bumped into one another behind her. Gerard stood on tiptoe, gazing over their heads and lifting his eyebrows in surprise at the 1920s cocktail bar they had walked into. 

At the piano, a beautiful, golden haired man was leaning over the top and lifting his glass as if to toast their arrival as he sang; “ _Grab a glass because there’s going to be a flood._ ”

All around the room, men and women in 20s themed outfits were milling around. Some were seated at little round tables that were set up around the edges of the room, and others were dancing in the spaces left between the tables and what appeared to be a ginormous marble slab in the middle of the room. It might have been a dancefloor, but no one was using it as such.

Beside the piano was a small bar, with men in waistcoats and bow ties shaking up cocktails. Gerard wondered if this was the bar that Frank had mentioned to him back at the beginning of the night (it felt like years ago), but it seemed strange for the furnace to have ended so… Suddenly.

“Please, friends. Join us!” The golden haired singer called out to them, beckoning them in and waving to several empty seats at one of the tables. “I’ll have drinks brought over to you promptly!” He snapped his fingers at the barmen and then went on singing, tapping his foot cheerfully as he leant on the piano.

“ _A celebrated man amongst the gurneys. They can fix me proper with a bit of luck. The doctors and the nurses they adore me so, but it’s really quite alarming… Cos’ I’m such an awful fuck!_ ” He lifted his voice, singing spiritedly and ending with a little laugh and a bow as everyone cheered. “Thank you.” He grinned, blowing kisses to a few of the women before straightening tall again. “Join in with me now!” He encouraged, and as he sang again all the dancing men and women joined in with him; 

“ _I gave you blood, blood, gallons of the stuff. I gave you all that you can drink and it has never been enough. I gave you blood, blood, blood-_ ” He lifted his glass, singing heartily and losing himself in the moment, even closing his eyes before finishing with a cheerful, “ _I’m the kind of human wreckage that you love!_ ”

The pianist bashed out the final notes with an enthusiastic flourish, and the applause that followed was riotous. Gerard, who had sat down with the others around two small tables, clapped along with a bewildered smile. 

The singer bowed and laughed, gladly accepting the attention that came his way. He was fussed over and hailed like a hero, and it took him a moment to make it through the crowd of adoring fans and over to their little corner. 

“Welcome to the Blood Bar!” He beamed at them, arms open wide in a friendly gesture. “I’ve been so looking forward to meeting you all.” He swept around their tables so that he could plant a soft kiss to each of their cheeks, leaving a lingering scent of honey and spice as he went. “My name is Isaac, I am the owner of this establishment.” 

Gerard found it laughable to imagine that anyone so young could own any sort of business, but he kept his mouth shut. Isaac didn’t look a day over twenty one, and his golden curls and bright blue eyes made him appear sweet and child-like. There was nothing at all frightening about him, nor anyone else in the room. 

“Drinks!” Isaac called to the bar, clicking his fingers at the staff. “Drinks for my new friends!”

One of the barmen was already on his way, balancing a tray on his palm. When he arrived at their tables he deposited five martini glasses full to the brim with a deep, red liquid. It looked thick and glossy, and the rims of the glasses were coated in chocolate shavings. 

“Please, drink.” Isaac nodded at their glasses and dropped gracefully into a seat opposite them all. He was smiling widely at them, turned slightly side-on so he could turn and arch his body in a beautiful arc. He had one leg draped over the other, and the hand with his glass in was raised slightly, so that if anyone were to take a photograph at that moment, he would look utterly flawless whilst Gerard and his friends were all looking a little lost and confused.

Lyn looked about at the others before taking the plunge first. She picked up her glass and sniffed the contents before tasting a small sip. The red liquid was so thick that it seemed to cling to the side of the glass, but the look on Lyn’s face was one of pure delight. 

“Oh my God.” She gasped and took a longer, deeper sip. 

Gerard followed her lead and picked up his own glass, slowly drinking from it as the others did the same. The liquid inside _was_ thick… and creamy and sweet. It tasted like cherry pie filling, with a hint of coconut and chocolate. Whether there was any alcohol in it or not was hard to tell, but Gerard didn’t care either way. It tasted indulgent and luxurious, and he’d have happily drowned in it. 

“It’s good, isn’t it?” When Isaac smiled at them this time, Gerard noticed that his fangs were sharper than he had first realised. He glanced around the room, searching the mouths of the other people present. It wasn’t hard to do, they were all smiling and laughing with exaggerated movements, and each of them had sharp fangs too. 

“Is this a vampire bar?” Gerard blurted out, ridiculously excited by the prospect. 

“That’s right.” Isaac nudged Gerard’s foot with his own. “A clever one, aren’t you?” 

Gerard couldn’t tell if he was being patronised or not, but he didn’t care. He went on sipping from his glass with a relaxed smile. 

“This is so good.” Lauren whispered beside him, her own glass almost empty already. She ran her finger around the rim to gather up the chocolate shavings and then sucked it clean. 

“The chocolate compliments the blood perfectly, doesn’t it?” Isaac purred as he watched her. “And of course, we only serve the freshest of blood here.” He raised his glass slightly, as if making a toast. 

“Sign me up for becoming a vampire.” Lyn scoffed, holding up her glass to gaze at the contents with interest. “If this is what blood tastes like then I want to bathe in it.”

“Funny you should say so.” Isaac chuckled, swirling his own glass slowly. “We have a blood bath scheduled for this evening, due to start in just a short while.” He smiled sweetly at them all. “But before that, I am eager to learn more about you all.”

The prospect of a blood bath didn’t seem to phase any of them. They were all too distracted by their drinks and the warm, welcoming atmosphere of the bar. The other vampires were simply socialising or dancing around them without any bother. The music was lively, perfect for dancing the charleston to, and the overall feeling in the bar was one of safety. 

“You must have been through a lot already, to have made it this far.” Isaac went on conversationally, his blue eyes taking each of them in, one at a time. 

“Through hell.” Lyn agreed, with a little grin at her own pun. 

Isaac chuckled, but he shook his head slowly. “Oh, I’m afraid not.” He purred, his voice simpering sweet. “In fact, we mark the gateway between worlds. Thus far you have merely offered up your souls, but you do not see true hell until He decides to permit you entrance.”

Gerard looked up, his interest immediately piqued. 

“He?” He asked eagerly. 

“The Devil.” Isaac clarified, looking Gerard over with a curious glance. “Of course.” 

Gerard’s skin tingled pleasantly and he smiled to himself as he went back to sipping his drink. Though it wasn’t a surprise, hearing that he would definitely see The Devil again filled him with excitement. 

“When exactly do we get that permission?” Aaron asked Isaac with a hard stare. He had been quiet since they had entered the bar, and though Quinn still sat close to him, they both looked a little uneasy and tense. Gerard wondered if what The Devil had said to them in the room of hanged men was playing on their minds and his stomach sank. It would be unduly cruel if something that was supposed to be entertainment ended up ruining their relationship. 

“Only The Devil can decide that.” Isaac said simply with a little shrug. “But He will no doubt continue to test you. Although… Perhaps he has already made his decision with some of you…”

Gerard’s stomach lurched, filling with excitement as a shameful sort of certainty came over him that _he_ was the one The Devil wanted. 

“Who-” He began to ask, but Isaac was already speaking. 

“Is it true that one of your group has been turned already?” He asked, leaning forward as if to hear a dirty secret. 

The others looked at one another, confused, before Quinn cocked his head and ask, “do you mean the werewolf?”

“Yes, the wolf!” Isaac’s eyes went wide and his smile started to look forced. “So it is true?”

“Frank?” Gerard was just as eager to hear about him as he was The Devil. “He was… bitten… in the room with the dominatrix…” He said doubtfully, biting his lip. “And in the courtroom they said that he had venom in his veins…”

“God and Satan.” Isaac crossed himself, back to front. “I didn’t want to believe it. It has been so long since a new one has been made… He is most particular about his pets, and to choose one so suddenly…” Isaac trailed off, looking nervously around the room. “Newborn werewolves are… _unpredictable_.” 

Gerard looked at the others, his own smile fading. He was eager to hear more, but Isaac’s anxious look was making him nervous too. 

“Are you scared of them?” Aaron asked Isaac, lifting one brow in surprise. Isaac scoffed, but his fear was clear on his face. 

“You would be afraid too if nothing else in this world could kill you.” He said a little snootily. “We vampires can be harmed by only two things; werewolves, and The Devil Himself.” He counted them off on his fingers. “We’re usually left alone here, free to live our existence as we wish. But a newborn werewolf is uncontrollable, if it decides to come near our bar, then there’s no saying what the rest of the pack will do.”

Isaac let his ominous words hang in the air for a moment, his brow furrowed. 

Gerard held his breath, bursting with questions but too afraid to speak and break the melancholy spell that seemed to fall over Isaac. The young man was silent for a long while, staring resolutely at the table. The weight of the world could have been resting on his shoulders, but then he suddenly looked back up and smiled brightly at them again. 

“But let’s not let fear ruin our evening.” He said brightly, jumping to his feet. “Come, the bloodbath is about to start. You’ll surely want a front row seat.”

Isaac didn’t wait for questions or hesitation, he beckoned for the group to follow him and led the way between the tables and over to the marble slab in the centre of the room. As soon as they joined him at it’s edge, the rest of the vampires all stopped whatever they’d been doing and hurried to move closer, crowding around the slab. 

Gerard glanced around at them all, wondering whether they ought to be afraid of them, but they didn’t seem scary. 

“I warn you,” Isaac turned to grin at him, “you’re in the splash zone.”

Gerard frowned, confused, but took an instinctive step back. He looked around, waiting for someone to be brought into the room, or maybe for an actual bath filled with blood to be wheeled in, but nothing was forthcoming. He wondered how long they were expected to wait, but then Lyn touched his arm to draw his attention and lifted her chin towards the ceiling.

Gerard looked up, following her gaze and gasping softly at what he saw. 

Above their heads, a young woman had been tied to the ceiling. Gerard wasn’t sure how he had managed to miss her all this time, and blushed at his own ignorance. He had been so distracted by the beautiful bar and Isaac’s charm, he simply hadn’t thought to ever look up.

The woman was blindfolded and gagged, her arms tied tightly to her sides. She was so still she might have been asleep.

“Remove the collar!” Isaac declared, waving his glass into the air with a wide grin.

The collar, a thick strip of chrome around the woman’s neck, had a ring in the centre with a chain fed through it. The chain ran across the length of the ceiling, where it hung discreetly down the wall behind the bar. One of the barmen moved to it then, grasping it in both hands and giving it a hard tug. 

It was only then, as the collar fell away with a heavy spray of crimson blood, that Gerard realised the inside of the collar hid a large, circular blade. The woman was dead, her throat slit however long ago and left with the blade inside until the vampires were ready for her blood to fall.

Time seemed to go in slow motion as an inhuman amount of blood fell in a scarlet waterfall to the marble slab below. Gerard watched it fall, and jumped back at the last moment when he realised what was going to happen. But he was too late. 

The blood splattered against the white marble and sprayed anyone foolish enough to stand too close. Gerard gasped and turned his face away, instinctively squeezing his eyes shut as hot, wet droplets sprayed over his cheeks. 

“Holy fuck!” Lyn swung away too, colliding with Gerard and almost sending them both to the floor. “Shit!”

Gerard wrapped his arms around her and pulled her with him as he stumbled backwards. He could still hear the sound of liquid splashing onto the slab, and when he dared to open his eyes and look over Lyn’s shoulder he was stunned to see how much of it was still pouring from the body of the woman. 

Quinn, Aaron and Lauren had all hurried to get as far away as possible as well, each of them spattered with drops of red. But the vampires were all surging forward, crying out with delight and laughing as they raced to undress and step onto the slab.

Gerard stared, mouth open in horror, as a dozen naked bodies wrestled to get beneath the spray of blood. The vampires showered in it, raising their hands as if in reverence. 

“Music!” Isaac yelled, putting his glass down so he could start on his own clothes. At his cry, the vampire at the piano started up again, slamming the keys with vigour and starting up a cheerful, fast tempoed tune that sounded like it belonged in a fairground.

“Oh my God.” Quinn was holding tight to Aaron, staring at the blood that just went on falling. “This is unreal.”

“Join us, friends!” Isaac called to them, waving them over as he stepped out of his trousers and dropped them onto a nearby table where his shirt was already piled. “The blood is lovely and warm!” He laughed loudly, as if he’d told a hilarious joke, and dashed to the marble slab. 

Gerard was riveted, unable to look away and speechless with shock. He had never seen anything quite like it - all those naked bodies, dancing and writhing beneath the hot spray of blood. By now it was sloshing off the edge of the slab and over the floor, and disappearing down hidden drains beneath the tables. 

It seemed to take forever, but at long last the flow slowed gradually down until it was nothing more than raindrops from the woman’s neck. It left ripples in the blood on the slab, and dripped from the vampires who were now drenched in it. 

Gerard finally managed to tear his eyes away, looking to the others who were all gaping at the spectacle with equal looks of shock. 

“Are… Are we supposed to…” Gerard swallowed thickly and nodded towards the slab. 

“I’m not getting in that.” Lauren shook her head firmly, unable to look away. “Not if I have to get naked.”

“Really?” Aaron laughed mirthlessly. “That’s your issue? Getting naked?”

Lauren gave them a wry grin and a shrug. 

“You go first Gee.” Lyn said in a stage whisper. “You probably have a thing for blood as well, huh?” She was being playful, but Gerard still blushed. He _didn’t_ have a thing for blood, but for some reason his body was still interested by the display of naked bodies as they writhed around on the slab. 

Now that the flow had stopped, the vampires had taken to lying down on the marble and rubbing the liquid all over themselves, and each other. Things began to get steamy, with men and women alike starting to arch and twist as if in ecstasy. 

Isaac, his golden hair now crimson, got to his knees and gave heavy eye contact to the watching group as he sucked blood from his fingers and slid his other hand down between his legs. 

“Don’t you want to join us?” He asked them with a devilish grin. He was rubbing idly between his legs, his other hand drifting down to his nipples. “We won’t bite… unless you want us to.”

It was cliche. Gerard was sure it was cliche… And yet, he was so tempted. He bit down hard on the inside of his cheek to try and distract himself, but it didn’t work. His eyes were drawn to Isaac’s hands; to the tight buds of his nipples and the swell of his cock as he began to stiffen. Blood was dripping from his hair and even from his sack, and Gerard was ashamed by how erotic he found it. 

“Come on…” Isaac urged them, his eyes so blue they were dazzling. “What are you afraid of?”

Gerard almost started forward then, but Lyn grabbed his arm and held tight. 

“Gee, fuck’s sake!” She hissed, almost laughing as the others all groaned and rolled their eyes. “Stop being so easy.” She told him firmly, her eyes full of mirth. 

“What?” Gerard tried to look confused and innocent, even as his cheeks flamed guiltily. “Maybe we have to do it before we can move on.”

It was a solid argument, he thought, but before he could push it, they were all distracted by the far off sound of wolves howling. 

Immediately the vampires went dead still, their eyes going wide and fearful. Isaac stopped touching himself and jumped up to his feet, his body tense as he visibly strained to hear. 

For a moment, there was nothing. And then, closer than before, that terrible, _haunting_ sound again. 

“Werewolves.” Isaac whispered, his body crouched as if ready to bolt. “Werewolves!” He spoke louder this time, and another howl - longer and louder than ever echoed around the room. 

“Everybody RUN!” Isaac stood up straight, raising his voice to be heard over the howling; at his instruction, the stupor that had descended over the vampires broke and they all split into different directions, screaming and running for their lives.

Instantly, Gerard’s arousal twisted into fear and his heart began to pound frantically. He grabbed Lyn’s hand out of instinct, and turned uncertainly as he tried to work out where the exit was. 

“Come with me!” Isaac was in front of them within a second, beckoning at them all to follow him. He was still naked and doused in blood, but his face was open and warm. “Hurry!”

Lauren didn’t hesitate, and as soon as she stepped forward so did Quinn and Aaron. Lyn hurried after Isaac too, dragging Gerard along with her as they wrestled through the crowds of fleeing vampires. 

“The wolves will smell your scent more than ours, because of your pumping hearts.” Isaac told them hurriedly, rushing them to a hidden door beside the bar. “Your only hope of survival is to split up.”

“What!?” Quinn pressed tighter to Aaron, his eyes immediately filling with fear. “No! No way!”

“ _AWWOOOO_ ”.

Quinn turned, tears in his eyes, and saw the pack of wolves that had burst into the bar. They were monstrous creatures, and made all the more frightening by the way the vampires raced away from them. 

“There is no time to argue!” Isaac shouted over the cacophony of noise. “You must go! NOW!” He grabbed Quinn’s hand and pulled him through the door and into a dark chamber. Aaron hurried after him, and so Gerard followed their lead. He didn’t want to be left alone either, but to his dismay the chamber opened up to seven different tunnels, and it was quickly clear they had no choice. 

“Go!” Isaac pushed Quinn, who sobbed and fought against him, trying to get to Aaron. But the wolves were so close now that they could hear their panting breath, and when Gerard looked over his shoulder he saw them barely ten feet away. 

“It’s okay Quinn.” Aaron ran to the tunnel beside the one Isaac was pushing Quinn to. “Be brave! I’ll see you at the other side.” His words were so full of love, so genuine, that Gerard felt overwhelmed for them. He, Lyn and Lauren were all racing to the other tunnels, unable to pause or hesitate with the wolves so close. 

Quinn looked like he wanted nothing more than to throw himself on the ground and surrender, but though he continued to reach out for Aaron, he allowed Isaac to push him into the far tunnel and disappeared obediently into the darkness.

The last thing Gerard saw, before he began to sprint down his own tunnel, was Quinn’s terrified face and Lyn’s heels as she disappeared into the tunnel beside his own.


	8. The Mirror Maze

Gerard ran. 

The tunnel he had taken was dark and long, and smelled strongly of sulphur. The deeper he ran, the hotter it began to feel, until sweat was dripping from him and the heat made his cheeks burn. The walls seemed to be glowing too, though so faintly he wasn’t sure if he was simply imagining it. Either way, the notion that he was running right into hell was more believable by the second.

Behind him, Gerard could hear snapping and snarling as the wolves chased him. He had no idea how many were following him, and he was too afraid to look back, It sounded like dozens of them, but the tunnel was so echoey that it could have merely been one.

Gerard ran and ran until his lungs were burning as much as his face. He rounded a tight bend, almost skidding on the dark floor, and then continued down another long straight. Ahead of him was a sign, painted onto the wall in a treacle like liquid. 

_This way_ , it read, with an arrow pointed right.

Gerard had just a few seconds to consider whether to follow the sign or not, before he was close enough to see demons to the left. The frog like creature from the courtroom was there, reaching out with it’s webbed fingers. It looked like it was trapped behind something, though it wasn’t, and it didn’t try to follow as Gerard tore away from it. 

“Sinner…” It hissed, bulging eyes rolling. “ _Sinner_.” 

Gerard’s mind was made up for him. He followed the sign and went right.

Almost immediately he stumbled into a space so dark that he came to an abrupt halt. He paused, panting hard, and waited for just a heartbeat before lights suddenly came to life with a soft _vwoom_ of electricity starting up. 

The bright lights revealed a wall of mirror in front of Gerard. It reflected his exhausted, terrified face back at him, and the darkness of the tunnel behind him. The frog like demon was still reaching out at him, spitting and hissing, and he could hear the wolves coming ever closer. 

But perhaps most terrifying of all, was the message written in blood across the mirror.

_Run_.

Gerard didn’t have time to hesitate. He launched himself into the mirror maze and took the route to the left, which then led him right, then left and left and right again, before opening up to a T shaped junction.

Every wall was made of highly reflective mirrors, carefully arranged so that they were all perfectly parallel to another mirror. The effect it created was of infinite, receding reflections, so that Gerard could barely tell where the paths were and what was merely a reflection. Everywhere he turned he saw the image of himself, echoing back and back into each mirror, endlessly.

_”AWOOOO_ ”. 

Gerard startled at the sound of the howl and bolted forward, hands outstretched to stop himself from crashing into glass. He found another pathway and began to follow it, running as fast as he could whilst trying desperately not to fall or hit a mirror.

The maze was dizzying. Gerard kept racing towards openings only to discover it was another mirror, and he felt as though he was being turned around. He weaved in and out of several routes, always hearing the wolves one step behind him but unable to catch their reflections.

He was breathing hard, panting so much his chest ached. He was too unfit to keep running around like this, and he began to slow as his calves cramped up.

Gerard bumped into the mirror in front of him, so he paused to catch his breath and feel out another turning. He found one, but this time he walked down it, too exhausted to work any harder. 

Around him, the mirrors shimmered, and then suddenly one went black to reveal an image of The Devil on its surface. 

“YOU!” He lurched forward, banging his hands on the glass from the inside. “RUN!”

Gerard startled so violently that he fell into the mirror behind him with a yelp. The Devil’s face had contorted into something monstrous and terrifying, but had disappeared so quickly that Gerard couldn’t be sure what he had seen.

It was enough to make him flee again though, racing through the maze once more.

This time, all around him the reflections seemed to dance and shimmer. Every now and then a mirror would black out, and either the Devil or a wolf would slam hard into the glass, making Gerard gasp or cry out each time.

He ran with ever-increasing panic, wishing desperately that he wasn’t alone. He skidded round corners and slammed into mirrors, until he could barely breathe. He was so afraid and frustrated he felt like crying. There was just no way out.

Gerard ran until he collided into another mirror. He turned, and yelped when he slammed right into another right behind him that had _definitely_ not been there before. He turned again, hands outstretched this time, and felt another mirror, and another.

He watched his own reflection as he span in circles, slamming his hands in all directions. His face had gone sickly pale, except for his cheeks which were pink from exertion. He could see the fear in his own eyes, reflected horrifically back at him over and over and over again. All around him there was nothing but the endless echo of his own image, and the dark squares of the mirrors. 

Gerard went on turning, but it was no use. Somehow, _somehow_ , they had boxed him in.

Gerard stopped turning, panting heavily and trembling all over. He waited for something to happen, and wasn’t left long.

Suddenly the lights went out with another soft _vwoom_. There was a moment’s pause, and then one by one, little halos of light began to pop to life along the floor. It was like watching a pathway reveal itself, stretching slowly in all directions with each new light. But when Gerard reached out, the mirrors were still all around him. 

And then, even though he could still see the lights in the mirrors, his own reflection disappeared.

Gerard blinked, astounded. He reached out gingerly, and his fingers touched solid glass. He could see the slight flattening of his fingertips where they had connected with the material, but there was no reflection. Not even a hint of one.

Gerard was so focused on trying to see his own body in the glass, that he didn’t realise another image had appeared. It was only as he went to move his hand away that he refocused his gaze and screamed loudly when he came face to face with a wolf.

He fell backwards, colliding with the mirror behind him and shouting out a noise that was almost a sob. 

The wolf looking back at him was tall and still. It stood on its hind legs, shoulders slightly hunched forward and lips curled back into a snarl. There was nothing remotely human about it, except perhaps for it’s abdominal muscles. It didn’t look like a man in a costume, it looked real and grotesque; so close that Gerard was sure he could smell it’s dank breath.

The other mirrors were still black, with only the halo-like lights to prove they were still there. Gerard pressed himself harder against the glass behind him, grimacing as the wolf opened its mouth wide and released a low, threatening snarl.

“Please…” Gerard whimpered, turning his face away from the terrible image. “Please, no…”

“ _Do you like my pet?”_ A soft, ghostly voice seemed to echo all around him. “ _Do you want to join us?_ ”

Gerard shuddered, completely torn between fear and longing at the sound of The Devil’s whispers. He dared to look at the wolf again; at its coarse, dark fur and deep amber eyes. Its mouth was still open, revealing those awful, awful teeth. 

“No.” Gerard whispered, surprising even himself. “No. I won’t.”

“ _No?”_ The Devil was louder this time, his whisper more of a snarl. “ _Then_ die.” 

The room flooded with light again, so suddenly that it was blinding. The mirrors were normal once more, reflecting both themselves and Gerard. When he stumbled forward, he found his path unblocked.

All around him, howling had started up again. 

Gerard really felt like crying then. He felt trapped in an endless maze, and the prospect of running was simply too much for him to take. He made a pitiful attempt to stumble forward, and wandered aimlessly for a moment or two before he was distracted once more by someone standing in the distance. 

The figure was monstrous, but still more man than anything else. It was shorter than any of the wolves Gerard had seen so far, and though it had long claws and pointed ears, it had no fur to speak of. The figure was hunched over slightly, and even from a distance Gerard could see grotesque protrusions, like their ribs and hipbones were trying to burst from their skin. 

Gerard waited, his heart racing erratically, for the figure to move. 

They did so slowly, lifting their head gradually, inch by agonising inch. They looked so far away, their features barely recognisable, but Gerard was still sure…

“Frank?”

“Run.” Frank’s voice was low and gravelly, almost a growl… And it came from _behind_ Gerard. 

As soon as Gerard realised this, it was like the illusion his brain was conjuring slipped. He had become so used to looking mirrors that he barely even registered his own reflection anymore. He had been so engrossed by Frank’s, that he hadn’t realised he was simply looking in another mirror.

Gerard turned fast, whipping around and gasping when he saw how close Frank really was. He was barely a few feet away, hunched awkwardly as if his entire body was in agony. His beautiful hazel eyes were now a burning amber colour, and his teeth were sharp. Even his cheekbones looked ghastly, sticking out from beneath his skin like his ribs and hips.

“Run, Gerard.” Frank took a pained, difficult step forward, as if he was trying to desperately hold himself back. “ _Please_.”

Gerard knew it wasn’t real. He _knew_ it wasn’t real, and yet everything inside him went icy cold with fear. 

Frank looked so tragic, so _tortured_. His expression was one of pure agony, his feet and hands twisted into long claws. He was holding himself so tensely he looked as though he might snap, and he shuddered violently before stumbling forward another step. 

“Please Gerard, _run_.” He begged, twisting one shoulder behind himself as if he was trying to turn away. “I’ll _kill_ you.”

Gerard swallowed hard and took a slow step backwards. He knew the whole point was to run, but he felt frozen to the spot. He stared at Frank, mouth open as if to speak, paralysed.

Frank gave him a few more seconds, and when Gerard didn’t respond he snarled and suddenly lurched towards, screaming and snapping his teeth. 

“I. Said. _RUN!_.” He bellowed, so loudly that Gerard was shocked out of his stupor.

He turned and ran, tearing through the maze once more. This time, Frank was right behind him, reflected in the mirrors just as Gerard was.

The maze was as confusing and dizzying as ever, sending Gerard crashing into glass as often as he found new turns. He was only able to keep ahead of Frank because of the way Frank was stumbling and lurching, fighting with himself every step of the way. He was snarling and spitting, his clawed nails scraping on the mirrors to make an awful screeching sound.

Gerard winced and tried to focus, using his hands to guide himself. 

Every now and then, a mirror went black and the Devil’s image appeared once more, his head back as he laughed and laughed and laughed.

The laughter continued to echo throughout the room even once the image was gone, the mirrors flickering between the Devil and Gerard’s own frightened reflection. 

There had to be a way out. Gerard _knew_ that and yet he couldn’t find it. He couldn’t even find the entrance again, it was like he was just going around in circles. 

He stumbled into mirror after mirror, finding dead end after dead end and only ever just managing to scrape by Frank in time to find each new route. He felt claws on the back of his arms and neck several times, but somehow was always able to stay one step ahead.

Gerard ran for what felt like forever, until another dead end made him come to a halt.

He turned, chest heaving, and watched as Frank appeared before him. All around them, their reflections stretched on endlessly, but Gerard was done with running. He could think of only two options. To cry _mercy_ , or to wait.

“Run, Gerard-” Frank hissed as he staggered towards him. “-Run!”

“No!” Gerard planted his feet and tensed his body, breathing hard but scowling with determination. “I’m not running anymore.” 

There was the briefest flicker of uncertainty in Frank’s eyes, but it was gone before Gerard could be sure he had seen it. 

Frank began to scowl, moving towards Gerard quicker now. His amber eyes were like fire, and when he snarled, his sharp teeth made Gerard’s stomach swirl.

“Foolish man.” Frank crouched slightly, his walk changing from that of a struggling man, to that of a beast. He approached Gerard slowly, like a wolf stalking its prey, and when he lunged the last few feet, Gerard was taken completely by surprise.

Frank had him by the shoulders before Gerard could even blink, and the two of them went crashing to the floor so violently that the mirrors all around them shook. Gerard lifted his arms instinctively to shield his face, gasping for the air that had been knocked from his lungs.

“You’re not _supposed_ to let me catch you!” Frank snapped, his voice a deep growl that made him sound angry, but when Gerard opened his eyes to peek through his fingers, he saw that Frank was _smiling_.

And then he couldn’t see anything at all, because Frank was kissing him.

Gerard made a soft, high-pitched noise of surprise, and then he melted gladly into the kiss. He lifted his hands to press against Frank’s bare chest, and revelled in the warmth of his skin beneath his palms. His little gasp had given Frank the perfect opportunity to lick into his mouth, and their tongues touched for a brief, electrifying moment.

Frank pulled back slightly, and Gerard followed him, refusing to let them part. He sat up, opening up for Frank’s tongue again and made a quiet, needy sound low in his throat. 

“Fucking hell…” Frank whispered, half-laughing before he sank against Gerard’s hands on his chest and threw caution to the wind. He deepened the kiss with a needy little sound of his own, and lifted his fingers to cradle against the side of Gerard’s jaw.

In the mirrors, their reflections stretched on in an infinite display of their bodies entwined, Frank kneeling over Gerard’s lap so that he could tilt Gerard’s face up and control the depth of their kiss. 

Gerard seemed to like it when Frank went heavy on the tongue, so he kissed him like they were in a porno, rubbing his tongue to the roof of his mouth and tasting the sweetness of the cherry cocktail from the vampire bar. He knew the taste well, and he hummed in delight to experience it like this; from the mouth of a beautiful stranger.

Gerard’s heart was racing fit to burst, and his fingers shook as he slid his hands up Frank’s chest, over his slightly peaked nipples, and onto his shoulders. He stretched his thumbs up, gliding them along the sides of Frank’s neck and tipped his head up more, practically begging him to claim his mouth. 

“Jesus, fuck.” Frank pulled back suddenly, laughing quietly again as he looked up to the ceiling. Gerard’s hands were still near his neck, and he was sure he must be able to feel his pulse jack-rabbiting against his fingers. “You’re a greedy thing, aren’t you?”

Gerard wasn’t sure why those words made him flush with pride. Perhaps it was the way Frank said them with such admiration, as if Gerard’s hunger was something he really, _really_ liked, but it brought a pleased, pink blush to his cheeks.

“This is really, really against the rules you know?” Frank informed him, but his smirk made Gerard unlikely to worry about it. And when Frank leaned in to kiss him again, he decided he’d gladly be kicked out if it meant feeling those lips on his even for just one more second. 

Frank sucked Gerard’s lower lip into his mouth and nibbled playfully, his whole body tingling with delight when it earned him a husky moan in return. 

“Oh man.” Frank pulled back again, as if he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to if he carried on. Gerard was looking at him with glossy, half lidded eyes, his lips red, the lower one slightly swollen. It shouldn’t be possible for him to look half-fucked already, but he did, and it made Frank wonder how dishevelled he would look when he had actually _been_ fucked. 

“Yeesh.” Frank shook his head slowly, tracing the curve of Gerard’s cupid bow with one fingertip. Gerard let him, his lips slightly parted so he could nudge his tongue to the pad of Frank’s finger. “Grant is gonna kill me…”

“Who’s Grant?” Gerard asked curiously, nibbling at Frank’s finger now. 

Frank’s eyes sparkled and he began to smirk, his expression turning playful. “You’ll find out…” He said cryptically, leaning in for one more tender, almost chaste brush of the lips. “But for now… you should actually get out of this maze.” 

Frank moved back and stood gracefully to his feet. Now he wasn’t hunching over or distorting his movements, the protruding bones didn’t look quite so ghastly. He offered Gerard a clawed hand and helped him to his feet. He looked almost like a man now, but his grin was definitely wolfish. 

“How about we have a little fun?” He suggested, with such mischievous glee that Gerard agreed without even needing to think about it. 

“What did you have in mind?” He asked eagerly. 

Frank’s grin widened and he moved up against Gerard, backing him into the nearest mirror. “How about…” He stroked one claw carefully down the side of Gerard’s neck, “...I give you…A werewolf bite.” 

Gerard thanked whichever gay God’s had smiled on him that day, and tipped his head up and to the side in answer. He closed his eyes, breathing heavily just from the thought. 

Frank laughed softly and tiptoed up to press his kiss to a spot of flesh so near the front of Gerard’s neck it was practically on his throat. “You’re such a fucking slut. I love that.” He chuckled, and then he sank his teeth suddenly into Gerard’s flesh.

Gerard yelped and his hips jerked forward of their own accord. Pain blossomed over his skin, but then he was moaning and arching his back for more. 

Frank’s sharp teeth might have been fake, but they didn’t feel it. He worried the mouthful of flesh carefully between his fangs, leaving little pin pricks of blood which he sucked hard to create a deep, black mark that was so glaringly obvious on Gerard’s pale skin that even a blind person could sense it.

Frank took his time, soothing the pain with gentle swipes of his tongue before going back in with his sucking and biting, over and over until he was certain the mark would last for days. He wanted Gerard to leave this place and remember him forever, even if they never saw each other again after the tour was over.

When Frank was at last satisfied, he dropped back down and grinned at Gerard. He cupped his chin, forcing his head back even more so he could admire his handiwork. He pretended not to notice that Gerard was also hard in his jeans, though the knowledge delighted him. 

“Perfect.” Frank purred, letting Gerard go and taking a slow step back. He waited until Gerard opened his eyes and looked at him, his face a picture of bliss, and laughed softly. “Go on, sinner.” He grinned, nodding his head towards a gap in the mirrors that Gerard had been unable to see. “Get moving. This time I ain’t kissing you if I catch you.”

Gerard grinned stupidly at Frank, but he nodded his understanding and carefully moved away from the mirror. His knees felt like jelly, but not from fear this time, and when he stepped through the gap Frank had shown him, he found his way out of the maze with ease.

Frank sauntered along behind him, looking far too pleased with himself, but he didn’t follow when Gerard stepped through the door at the end.

When Gerard realised this, he turned back around to face him, cocking his head to the side in a silent question. 

“Later.” Frank promised him, his heart missing a beat when he saw how dark his bite was already. “Now go.” 

Gerard pouted, but he understood that Frank couldn’t follow. He nodded his head at him, and touched his fingers to the bite with a shared grin of delight, and then he turned and continued on into the chamber beyond.


	9. The Oracle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this chapter took so long, guys! Life, as ever, has been in the way; I really wanted to make this one longer to make up for it, but in the end I had to cut it short - but I hope it will be clear why when you reach the end. Don't worry - the next chapter is set to be a biggie! 
> 
> Thank you as ever for your incredible support, I struggled a little with this one, but I think I'm back in the zone now! <3
> 
> P.s. Are we all freaking out about the MCR reunion right now?? Come and squeal with me in the comments! <3

The heat was stifling. 

The mirror maze had been chilled in comparison. The temperature soared the moment Gerard stepped into the corridor beyond, like walking into a wall of steam, and within seconds he was sweating and uncomfortable. 

_Anguis Dea_ was written in large, black letters on the wall directly opposite him, but it meant nothing to Gerard and could simply have been obscure graffiti. To his right was a dead end, with a demon’s face painted into the wall, it’s mouth agape; and to his left, the corridor stretched on endlessly. 

A sense of foreboding came over Gerard, and though he didn’t want to continue alone, he forced his feet to move. 

The corridor was narrow, with large bricks making up the floor and walls. Murals had been painted along them, like Egyptian hieroglyphs or Italian frescoes, depicting an array of images. Gerard gazed at them as he passed, trying to make sense of them, but the images seemed senseless to him. 

There were ancient style images of people on their knees, offering up bowls or jugs or fruit to various creatures. There were great serpents, with diamonds for eyes; or black goats with long horns. There were people in Greek togas and chitons, and plenty of people drawn nude as well. 

Some scenes depicted killing or sacrifice. Some were erotic. Everything was painted all in black, with just gold or jewels to pick out spots of colour here or there. 

It was beautiful, Gerard supposed, as he walked slowly along, but he couldn’t fully appreciate it when his nerves were fraught and he was so unbearably hot. He tugged at his collar, trying to help circulate some air around his body, but there was none. The corridor was like an oven, and the sour smell that Gerard had noticed in some of the other rooms was stronger here, more noticeable…

Gerard began to feel sick with unease. He released his collar and brushed his fingers over the bite Frank had left instead, pressing his fingertips into the bruise and relishing the pain. He dug his fingers deeper, and this time when his breath came short, it wasn’t due to fear. 

_‘Grant is gonna kill me…’_ Frank’s words echoed around Gerard’s mind, making him frown to himself as he wondered, properly, who Grant might be. At the time he had been too distracted to really worry about it, but now…

_‘You’ll find out…’_ Frank had told him with laughter in his voice. 

_You’ll find out_.

Gerard bypassed a stereotypical image of the Devil, all goat head and flaming eyes, a forked tongue lolling from its mouth… 

“Oh my God.” Gerard fell short and then turned back around, looking properly at the image. His heart began to race, and his fingers fell away from the bite at his neck as he stared into the eyes of the painting. 

_The Devil_.

Something hot and lustful uncurled inside Gerard, and his knees went weak. Since Frank was one of the actors, he obviously knew who played Satan in this crazy haunted house, but Gerard hadn’t put two and two together until that moment. 

Instantly, Gerard’s mind went back to the moment in the courtroom when the Devil had played with Frank and toyed with his body so expertly. He thought of the urethral plug, and the care and trust it required. Of course, a professional dom worth his salt would know how to insert a plug correctly, but it hadn’t been as simple as that… Gerard had seen the trust between the two of them, had seen the easy way Frank’s body responded to that man’s touch. He had _seen _for himself exactly what they were, and he had been too swept up in desire to realise it.__

___They were a couple_._ _

__Gerard’s fingers fluttered back to his throat and he pressed hard into the bruise Frank had left._ _

___Grant is gonna kill me…_ Gerard wasn’t sure anymore if he was simply remembering Frank’s words or thinking it to himself… _ _

__“Sinner…”_ _

__Gerard whirled round with a start, his eyes going wide. The end of the corridor had lit up slightly, a faint, amber glow calling to him._ _

__“Enter, sinner… And learn your fate…”_ _

__Gerard swallowed hard and drifted forward with a terrified expression. He had a feeling he was already starting to learn his fate, and the eyes of the painted devil seemed to hollow out his spine as he turned his back on it and walked to the end of the corridor._ _

__The source of the light, he soon discovered, was a great ring of fire, sunk into the floor. It was a fire pit, lined with cast iron and full of coal.The smoke rose to the ceiling, and disappeared through ventilation grates that looked like prison bars in the ceiling. Suddenly the heat and acrid smell were beginning to make sense._ _

__The room Gerard had entered was large and circular, with figures lining the walls. They were all dressed in long, black robes, the hoods pulled up so that it was impossible to tell whether they were men or women. They faced the fire, but their heads were bowed, and when Gerard entered, no one moved a muscle._ _

__Gerard hesitated in the doorway, gazing around and trying hard not to tremble. He had come so far, and faced so much, that his fear had almost become like white noise to him; it was there, and he was aware of it, but he was able to tune it out and focus if he tried._ _

__The ring of fire, he noticed, was surrounding a sort of island that was a little higher than the rest of the floor. The smoke from the flames was thick enough that the island wasn’t instantly noticeable, but when Gerard squinted through the smoke, he could make out something moving across it._ _

__“Payment must be made.” The same voice that had called to him in the corridor spoke again, but it seemed to come from all around and Gerard couldn’t tell which figure had said it - or if it had even been one of the robed people at all._ _

__“P - Payment?” Gerard looked around, his uncertainty clear. “What-?” He jumped when the person closest to him held out their hand and pointed across the room. Gerard stared at their finger for a moment, distracted by what appeared to be blood beneath the fingernail, but then he jolted into action and began to trot nervously across the space._ _

__He followed the circular path created by the fire pit, his skin by now tacky with perspiration, and came to a halt on the other side of the room when he found a black, stone table setup before a short set of stairs._ _

__The table had three things upon it - a heavy, oiled cloth bag full to bursting with gold coins that glistened in the firelight; a wicker basket piled high with ripe, red pomegranates; and a copper, fat bottomed jug that had an indiscernible liquid inside - in this light, it looked black, but it could easily have been water._ _

__Gerard stared at the items, inspecting each of them in turn. The layout reminded him of old video games, where an item had to be chosen before the hero could start their quest; _take this, it is dangerous to go alone_ , but the bag of coins seemed to suggest that these items were not for him, but would be his payment. The only question that remained was, who was he supposed to pay?_ _

__“Make your payment.” That same, cold voice ordered him._ _

__Gerard ignored it. He was thinking._ _

__He hovered his hand over the bag of coins, but something made him hesitate. Was this another escape room? Was there a wrong choice?_ _

__Gerard worried his lower lip between his teeth and looked at the stairs in front of him. There were only three steps in total, and nowhere to go once you reached the top… Curious, Gerard abandoned the table and walked up the stairs first._ _

__It brought him high enough over the flames to be able to see through the smoke and to the island in the centre with more clarity. The first thing he noticed - the first thing any sane man would notice - was that the island was crowded with snakes. There were dozens of them, sliding along the stone and each other, hissing and tasting the air with their tongues._ _

__Gerard blinked, stunned and had to stand back to rub his eyes, as if he might be seeing things. When he looked again, they were still there, writhing about the stone slab and slithering over a naked woman who was laid out in the middle._ _

__Gerard hadn’t noticed her at first, he was so distracted by the snakes, but he saw her then. She was a young woman, with a tiny waist and small breasts, with brightly coloured gems between her legs where a thatch of hair should have been. Her nipples were covered in a similar cluster of gems, and there were dustings of them along her forehead and down her cheeks._ _

__The gems, Gerard noticed, were all the colours of the snakes - purple, blue, red, green and amber. Such dazzling, sparkling colours, that it occurred to him that the snakes themselves couldn’t possibly be real. They certainly moved like they were real though._ _

__The last thing Gerard noticed, was that something had been written on the outer edge of the island. It took him a moment to see past the smoke and the snakes enough to read it - it looked just like a bizarre cluster of letters - but then he recognised it from the corridor._ _

___Anguis Dea_. It still meant nothing to Gerard, but this time, a helpful translation had been written beside it. _Goddess of Serpents_._ _

__“Oh.” Gerard blinked and looked at the woman again. If she was a Goddess, she was rather lacklustre. But he supposed he wasn’t one to judge. It was fairly clear now who had to make the payment to, at least._ _

__Gerard walked back down the steps and to the table of offerings. He looked at them all again, considering his choice. He discounted money quickly; it was too obvious. The jug was more interesting, but he discounted that too when a story he had heard as a child came back to him._ _

__In Greek mythology, Hades, the God of the underworld, kidnapped Persophene, daughter of Demeter, Goddess of the harvest. Hades had Persephone eat the seeds of a pomegranate, and in doing so ensured that she would be trapped with him for four months each year - one month for each of the seeds that she ate._ _

__Neither Demeter nor Persephone were directly linked to snakes, Gerard was almost sure; but the pomegranate was also said to be the forbidden fruit from the garden of Eden, and the link to snakes there was obvious… not to mention the link between snakes and the Devil._ _

__Confident in his choice, Gerard selected the basket of pomegranates and walked back up the stairs._ _

__He had no idea how he was supposed to offer the fruit; throwing it down over the woman and the snakes - real or fake - didn’t seem appropriate somehow. He hesitated for a moment, and when nothing happened, he slowly held out the basket at arms length, and waited._ _

__It took a beat, but then the woman opened her eyes and looked up at Gerard. She held his gaze, her eyes soft and brown, and then slowly moved onto her front, and then her knees. She crawled towards him, her body lithe and graceful, so that her every move was like liquid, and settled beneath the basket._ _

__Gerard watched as she reached up with both hands and took the basket from him, then held it high above her head as if she was offering it in turn._ _

__“Anguis Dea.” She spoke in high, ringing tones._ _

__“Anguis Dea.” The robed figures echoed her, their voices bouncing off the walls and ceilings in such a cacophony of sound that it made Gerard’s heart miss a beat._ _

__The jewelled snakes reacted, pausing where they lay and rising up like cobras waiting to strike. Their scales shimmered and shone, glowing bright, and their eyes all turned to the basket that the woman was holding aloft._ _

__“The payment is made.” The robed figures chanted, the words rippling around the room like a wave. “The Goddess is satisfied. The oracle may speak!”_ _

__At their words, the woman suddenly dropped onto her back, her legs trapped awkwardly beneath her, and began to writhe. The basket of fruit spilled to the side of her, and pomegranates tumbled along the stone and towards the fire._ _

__The snakes didn’t move, their heads still upturned, their bodies rigid, standing to attention as if under the control of some spell._ _

__The woman - the oracle, Gerard realised - was rolling and writhing about the stone island as if she were having a fit. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she tossed her head from side to side until her long hair was splayed out at all angles. She moved in harsh, jarring motions; arching her back and letting her head hang like something out of The Exorcist, before she suddenly flipped onto her front and stretched her arms out long._ _

__“The path you walk will lead you to the fire.” She gasped, her fingers hooked into claws and her legs scrabbling against the stone, as if she were fighting some unseen force. Her eyes were still rolled back, so that only the whites could be seen. It held Gerard’s gaze, making him feel nervous._ _

__“Your soul is hooked like a fish on a line. If you fight, you will tear yourself in two. If you go, you shall be laid bare for all to see.” The oracle inhaled sharply and fell to her back again. She writhed around on the hard slab, her nails digging into the stone as she twisted and convulsed._ _

__“The Devil’s path is scarlet! It ends in blistering heat!” The oracle’s voice was rising, her words growing desperate and manic. “To go is to be damned! _To go is to be damned!_ ” The woman flung herself to the side and shook violently. Her back was to Gerard now, and though he went on watching her, she spoke no more._ _

__Shaking, Gerard at last turned away and stumbled back down the stairs. The walls, he saw with a lazy sort of shock, were dripping with blood._ _

__“Sinner,” this time, it was clear which robed figure spoke; they were directly opposite Gerard, and when they turned their face up, he saw the flash of a white skull within the hood, “the oracle has spoken. If thou continue on thy journey, thou shall be laid bare at the Devil’s mercy.”_ _

__Death moved forward, and from within it’s robe it revealed a knife. It was long and sharp. “If thou choose to remain here; thou will be torn in two.”_ _

__Gerard looked at the knife, and at the blood dripping down the walls._ _

__“Make a choice, sinner.” Death held the knife to him, handle first. “Doth thou wish to save thy soul?”_ _

__Gerard swallowed hard and tore his eyes away from the knife to look around the room. This felt like an important choice, and he understood that he was supposed to read between the lines. The warning was clear - venture on, and he could expect at the very least, nudity and another run in with the Devil. If he didn’t want to continue, then this was where his journey would end. He didn’t imagine for one moment that the knife was a real option; if he didn’t want to continue, he would have to cry mercy._ _

__Gerard’s fingers fluttered once more to the bite on his neck._ _

__“I wish to continue.” He said clearly, his heart racing._ _

__“To go is to be damned!” The robed figures around the room all spoke at once. They moved in unison too, lifting their right arms and pointing at Gerard with accusing fingers. “Join us!” They cried, and Gerard took a slow step back._ _

__The fingers pointing at him were all different, he noticed. Some were almost human, though pale and scabbed. But others were clawed, or webbed, red and weeping or wooden like a puppets. He recognised some of them. The robed figures were the demons from the courtroom._ _

__“I go on.” Gerard said confidently, staring into what he hoped was the face of Death. “I have made my choice.”_ _

__“So be it.” Death let the knife go, and it clattered to the floor. Without moving from its spot, Death turned to point at one of the blood soaked walls. “Go on, sinner.”_ _

__There was a loud, grating noise, of stone scraping on stone, and a hidden door opened up in the wall. Beyond it was more red light, but Gerard didn’t hesitate before walking towards it. He could hear the demons snarling and jabbering, but no one tried to stop him._ _

__Through the doorway was a staircase, tight and winding downwards. It reminded Gerard of the staircase he had climbed right at the beginning, with Frank’s hand in his own, though it was hotter here, and he was alone._ _

__Gerard began the slow descent into the unknown. He had no idea how many floors he had travelled through on his journey, but it felt like he must have been right at the top of the building; the stairs seemed to go on forever, until he felt so dizzy he was afraid he might fall. The temperature didn’t help either, getting hotter and hotter until Gerard’s shirt was clinging to him and the air felt too hot for oxygen._ _

__Gerard clutched the handrail tightly and paused a moment, taking a deep breath. It was just so _hot_. It really did feel like he was walking into hell, and he wasn’t sure he would make it to the end of the haunted house if the temperature remained like this._ _

__Would he still be allowed to leave, if he called mercy?_ _

__As he set off again, Gerard decided that if the stairs didn’t end soon, he would have no other choice. His jeans felt like they were weighing him down, and the last thing he wanted was to pass out from the heat, after surviving all of the horrors so far._ _

__Just as Gerard’s discomfort was morphing into a mixture of anger and despair, the stairs finally levelled out and he stepped around a corner into a space so huge he forgot all about his irritation._ _

__“Wow.” He gasped, his eyes going wide and his jaw slack. “Holy - _Wow_.”_ _

__In front of him was the largest, most decorative blast furnace that Gerard had ever seen._ _

__It was made of heavy, cast iron, black and a little rusting in places. It was so tall that Gerard had to crane his neck to see to the top, and so wide that their coach pick up probably could have parked inside of it lengthways with no bother at all._ _

__The iron was cast with intricate imagery, depicting terrifying demonic faces and the typical Satanic goat head. Above the enormous doors, the words _The Devil’s Furnace_ had been stamped._ _

__“Welcome sinner.”_ _

__Gerard jumped in surprise and realised that all along, a man had been stood beside the exit of the staircase. His voice was immediately recognisable, and Gerard’s stomach gave a weird, plummeting flip as he turned to stare at the Devil._ _

__“Do you like my furnace?” His black eyes were glittering with amusement, and he pushed himself away from the wall where he had been casually leaning. His suit was so well tailored, that even the slightest movement made the shirt cling to his muscles._ _

__Gerard’s knees felt weak._ _

__“I… I…” He swallowed the saliva that had suddenly flooded his mouth and trembled as he tried to think of something suave and sexy to say. When that failed, he tried to at least say _something_ , but his tongue felt too big for his mouth._ _

__“Speechless?” The Devil asked sweetly, moving closer. “Do I intimidate you so -” His words died on his tongue as his eyes found the mark on Gerard’s throat. It wasn’t hard to miss; it had gotten bigger since he’d left the mirror maze, and was a deep, purpling red. The tiny teeth marks still indented into his skin were a big give away, and Gerard couldn’t tell if there was real anger in His expression, or if he was still acting._ _

__“My, my, my…” He reached out with one hand and brushed his thumb against the mark._ _

__Gerard’s breath hitched in his throat, and despite his fear, arousal pooled hot and thick in his belly._ _

__“You have been a naughty boy, haven’t you?” The Devil’s cold words, spoken so softly, made Gerard positively faint. He trembled under His touch, staring at him with wide eyes as the Devil fingered the mark and then slowly curled his hand around Gerard’s throat. “Been playing with my pets, sinner?” He asked darkly, squeezing just enough to send pleasure straight to Gerard’s cock. “I don’t recall ever giving you permission to do such a thing…”_ _

__“No, sir.” Gerard spoke without thinking, his submissive nature taking over his ability to think. The urge to drop to his knees was so strong that his legs had gone all wobbly, and a blush was thick across his cheeks._ _

___Grant is gonna kill me…_ Frank had said. Was _this_ Grant? _ _

__“Such an innocent face you have…” The Devil spoke thoughtfully, his eyes looking Gerard up and down in a slow, obvious sweep. “You’ve been so coy all this time… What a surprise you’ve turned out to be.” Gerard couldn’t tell if the man was really angry or not, or if he was impressed; his tone was impossible to decipher._ _

__“Please…” Gerard’s eyelids were heavy, and he was sure he was going to collapse at any moment. The pressure against his windpipe was just enough to make him feel breathless, and his racing heart was jumping in his chest._ _

__“Please what?” The Devil asked, his voice silky smooth and sweet as honey. “I ought to punish you. You and my pet. Would you like that?” He paused a beat, letting Gerard drink in his words. “Shall I make an example of you, sinner?”_ _

__Gerard didn’t need to think about it. “Yes.” He gasped, leaning into the grip around his throat. “Yes, please… Punish me.”_ _

__The Devil chuckled low in his throat and let go, bringing his arms around Gerard’s waist to catch him when he stumbled._ _

__“You are a slut and a delinquent.” He told him firmly, sounding rather pleased about it. “Let’s see if a man like you even knows shame.”_ _

__Gerard clung to the Devil as he began to undress him, not asking permission or treating him gently, but stripping him with hard tugs to his clothes. His long, clever fingers yanked open Gerard’s jeans and shoved them down his legs, whilst one hand pulled his shirt over his head._ _

__Gerard let him. He’d let him do anything._ _

__“No more bites, I see.” The Devil scoffed as he stood back a moment and got a good look. “Though my pet has made his possessiveness clear.” He stepped close to Gerard again and pressed his palm flat to his belly. As he began to slide it down, Gerard’s lust-addled brain took far too long to catch up and he only realised he was reaching for his cock a split second before his fingers were dipping into his underwear and circling his base._ _

__“O - Oh-!” Gerard’s hips jerked forward and he went dizzy from the speed with which his blood drained from his head. His cock was hard in an instant, jumping eagerly into the Devil’s hand and twitching when he squeezed him._ _

__“So hungry for it…” The Devil ‘tsk’d at him, shaking his head. “You will make a beautiful display when I take you apart in front of everyone.” He stroked Gerard’s length a couple of times, twisting his fingers around the tip and thumbing over the glans just until Gerard began to moan, and then he let him go._ _

__“Lose the briefs.” The Devil spoke coldly again, his voice firm. When Gerard just looked at him, he lifted one eyebrow, as if in warning, and Gerard scrambled to obey._ _

__His underwear was soon piled on the floor with the rest of his clothes, his cock embarrassingly hard and a little wet at the tip. He went bright red from his ears to his navel, embarrassment starting to tingle through his veins as the Devil looked him over. Gerard quite liked feeling humiliated, and being naked in front of a stranger he found so attractive was making him harder still._ _

__“Inside my furnace, your fellow sinners are congregating.” The Devil spoke to him calmly, never moving his dark eyes from Gerard’s face. “It’s hot, so they are naked, but they have been allowed simple coverings for their modesty, if they wanted… I am going to offer you no such reprieve.” The hint of a smile began to tug at the Devil’s lips. “Since you are brazen enough to play with my pet, then you can be brazen enough to walk in there alone, erect, and marked for all to see.”_ _

__Gerard’s blood ran cold, and his heart seemed to stop for a moment before starting up again, even faster than before. He wasn’t sure whether it was dread or excitement that made his cock bob then, but he could feel tears of embarrassment welling up in his eyes._ _

__“Go on.” The Devil inclined his head towards the heavy black doors to the furnace. “In you go.”_ _

__Gerard swallowed hard, turning to look for a second before he dared to look back at the Devil._ _

__“I… The safe word-?”_ _

__“Still stands.” The Devil showed no hint of remorse or concern at Gerard’s clear nerves. “But you’re not going to ask for mercy, are you?” He smirked at him, and Gerard’s cheeks went even brighter red._ _

__They both knew that the last thing he wanted was to put a stop to this game._ _

__“No, sir.” He whispered, turning slowly towards the furnace. He took one, faltering step, and then another, and another… and then stopped when warm hands suddenly grabbed his shoulders and turned him back around._ _

__“One moment.” The Devil cupped his jaw in both hands and pulled him in close. He captured Gerard’s lips in a soft, but firm kiss, that started a simple press of lips and turned into open mouths and searching tongues._ _

__

__Gerard went positively faint and swooned against the Devil’s firm chest, his jaw going slack so the man could press his tongue deep into his mouth. He tasted of cherries, and Gerard had a dizzy fantasy of the Devil sat in the blood bar, drinking one of those delicious cocktails, before he was pulling away._ _

__Gerard whined in disappointment, trying to chase his mouth, but a firm hand held him back. The kiss had been deep and slow and filthy, and Gerard’s cock was leaking enough to leave a damp stain on the beautifully tailored suit pants._ _

__The Devil looked at it, and smirked._ _

__“That’s better. I want you wet and desperate in there.” He growled._ _

__Gerard made a quiet, shivering noise that was both pleasure and despair, and he stumbled forward on autopilot as the Devil pushed him towards the furnace door._ _

__“If you survive the furnace, I’ll let you come.” The Devil whispered the words sweetly into Gerard’s ear, and as Gerard gave a long, low moan in response, The Devil pushed him through the door and into the furnace beyond._ _


	10. The Final Dungeon

There was something about being naked in front of a group of strangers that made Gerard go stupid.

Even though, when he first stepped into the furnace, no one was looking at him or even noticed his arrival, Gerard still stood like an idiot and waited for them to realise he was there. It only occurred to him _after_ a dozen pairs of eyes fixated on him, that he could have hidden himself at the back somewhere and probably never have been seen at all.

The furnace, it turned out, was like a giant sauna. It was lit up with red light, to give the impression of fire; but the heat all came from the steam rising from grates in the floor. There were benches around the walls, and plenty of space in the centre for people to mill around and talk. 

Everyone else was also naked, but most people had black towels wrapped around their waists or draped over their shoulders. Those who were more comfortable in their nudity merely held their towels, whilst those who wished to could completely cover up in them. That Gerard had not been given one made him stick out like a sore thumb; the fact he was also erect was glaringly obvious, even with his hands clasped in front of himself.

Gerard scanned the faces of the people stood closest to him and then quickly lowered his gaze. He recognised some of them from the coach that had brought them to the furnace, or from the earlier rooms, but none of them were his new friends.

A moment of tense silence passed, and then Gerard heard it… 

_Laughter_.

It started as just a few quiet titters near the back, but then it grew in intensity until everyone staring at him were outright laughing. It wasn’t cruel laughter, as such, Gerard could recognise that it was mostly shock; but it still made his skin prickle with humiliation.

“Oh my God…” He heard one woman gasp, and then even more laughter followed. 

Gerard hunched in on himself, trying to hide his body with his arms whilst his hands stayed firmly in front of erection. Despite how uncomfortable his embarrassment made him, it also made it impossible for him to get control over his body. Each ripple of laughter brought more heat to his cheeks, but also more heat to his blood… His cock twitched behind his palms and he felt his tip grow wet, until he had to clench his teeth to try and contain his growing excitement. 

He was already in trouble with The Devil, he had no doubt that if he came now, he’d only earn himself more punishment. 

The problem with that though, was that Gerard wasn’t sure that was such a bad thing.

“Hey, hey outta the way! Nothing to see here!” 

Gerard looked up, his eyes glossy with tears and his face beet red. The small crowd of people that had gathered to stare at him was getting jostled and pushed until, finally, Lyn appeared. 

“Move people! Lady with a baby!” She snapped, shoving her way to the front and then dashing to Gerard. She had a black towel wrapped around her body like a mini-dress, and her hair was swept back off her damp face. 

“Lyn!” Gerard felt such a rush of relief that it caused a lump to swell in his throat. Lyn came to stand in front of him, hiding him from view as much as she could with her slender body. “You’re pregnant?” Gerard hadn’t realised, this whole time...

“Course not.” Lyn scoffed, looking over her shoulder at him with a cheeky grin. “But it got people to move didn’t it? What the hell happened to you by the way?” Her eyes scanned over the mark on his neck. “You look like you’ve been eaten alive.”

“I’d say that’s exactly what did happen.” This time it was Aaron who spoke, appearing on Gerard’s other side with Quinn in tow. They were wearing matching grins, but their eyes shone with warmth. “Here Gee, you need this more than I do.” Aaron unwrapped the towel from around his waist and offered it to Gerard. 

“Th - Thank you.” Gerard felt absurdly emotional as he accepted the towel and held it in front of himself. He didn’t bother wrapping it around his hips - his erection would only tent it and cause even more attention. 

“Where’s Lauren?” Gerard asked as his new friends worked together to hide him from the laughter and the stares and ushered him across the furnace to an empty bench at the back. The heat was even more intense here, and the air was humid from the steam, but being naked meant it was bearable. 

“Haven’t seen her yet.” Lyn pulled a face and glanced instinctively towards the door that Gerard had entered by. “She might just be behind the rest of us… Or she might have safe worded.” 

“Oh.” Gerard hadn’t considered that any of them would safe word after coming so far, but thinking of the mirror maze made him realise it might be a possibility. “How long have you guys been in here?”

“Only a few minutes.” Aaron sat down on the bench, perfectly at ease with his nudity. Quinn sat in his lap, resting his legs across his thighs so his body hid most of Aaron from view anyway. Gerard was embarrassed by the tinge of disappointment that happened too quickly for him to suppress.

“I’ve been here about ten minutes.” Lyn swiped at her hair again, her whole body shiny with sweat. “I don’t know what held you guys up,” she glared at Aaron and Quinn, then turned her eyes to Gerard, “but you’ve clearly got a story to share.”

Gerard was glad that the sauna stopped his blush from being obvious. His fingers brushed over the bite mark on his neck and he swallowed hard, pressing against the bruise until it hurt. 

“If you could see your face right now…” Aaron chuckled softly. “Go on Gee, tell us. Who took a chunk out of you?”

“I…” Gerard wasn’t sure what made him hesitate. It felt too much like a secret, or something he wanted to keep precious all for himself… But these were his friends. And if he was going to see Frank again, which he hoped he would, then they would all find out soon enough anyway. 

“It was the wolf, wasn’t it?” Quinn spoke kindly, his eyes big and bright. “Were you chased by him? The guy from the courtroom?”

“Frank.” Gerard’s heart skipped a beat and he couldn’t hide his smile. “Yeah… Yeah, he was the one who chased me…”

All three of his friends ‘ooh’d in unison, and Gerard laughed as Lyn rolled her eyes and Aaron flashed him a knowing smile. 

“Well, that explains a lot.” He smirked, his eyes flicking pointedly to where Gerard was still holding the towel. 

Lyn groaned and shoved Gerard gently, laughing weakly. “Honestly Gerard, you don’t even know the guy… Did you guys really…” She trailed off, lifting one eyebrow and Gerard gasped in surprise. 

“We just kissed!” He insisted quickly, the heat in his cheeks rising right to his ears. He didn’t bother saying that he hoped to see Frank again, and that given enough time, he was willing to do much, much more… 

Aaron and Quinn were both giving him looks that made it clear that they knew exactly what he was thinking, and Gerard was relieved to see nothing but amusement and understanding in their eyes. 

“So who got you all excited then hm?” Aaron asked him bluntly, his eyes sparkling. “Or was the kiss really that good?” 

Gerard shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot and pulled the towel closer to his body. His erection was starting to flag, but talking about Frank and The Devil perked it up again. 

“The kiss was great… but this… this was um-” 

“Sinners.” Gerard’s eyes fluttered closed as The Devil’s voice rang clearly through the sauna. “Welcome to my furnace… I commend you all on making it so far.”

Everyone turned to face The Devil, who had entered through the main doors. He was still wearing his suit, and didn’t seem able to even feel the heat. Behind him, stood like bodyguards, was a line of werewolves. They were all at least seven feet tall, and though Gerard was certain their costumes must be boiling hot, they made no sign that the heat bothered them either.

“You have all been tested on your journeys,” The Devil spoke loudly, and his voice carried so well that Gerard was sure he must be wearing a hidden microphone, “I have thrown all that I can at you, and have succeeded in weeding out the weakest among you.” The Devil began to walk as he spoke, with slow, measured steps. He looked people up and down as he went, observing them all with an air of detachment. 

“That you have made it this far is a testament to your courage and stamina…” The Devil was approaching Gerard and his friends now, his dark eyes looking them over. “You have survived my trials, and stand now in this furnace, safe from my pets…” 

The wolves were following him, towering over everyone, but making no move to frighten them. 

“So sinners, I invite you all to join me now in the final dungeon.” At His words, a hidden door at the back of the furnace began to scrape open, revealing a wide, long corridor. “There, you are welcome to join in pleasures of the flesh with one another… or, if you prefer, to simply observe as I demonstrate what delights loyalty to me will bring you.” The Devil was closer to Gerard than ever, and Gerard’s body was quivering all over at His proximity. 

“Join me, sinners.” The Devil turned away at the last moment and faced the room at large again, his arms wide in invitation. “Be not afraid…” He began to back away, beckoning for them to follow as he moved towards the corridor. 

The wolves drifted amongst the sinners, coaxing them into moving until everyone began to walk slowly down the long corridor. Gerard noticed that those who had chosen to stay naked in the sauna, wrapped themselves in their towels when they left it. 

“This is it.” Lyn whispered as they began to follow on along the groups of people. “The final dungeon - it’s nearly over.”

Gerard couldn’t be sure if he imagined the disappointment that he heard in Lyn’s voice, but his own was very real. It was obvious that some of the people around them were relieved to know their ordeal was almost over, but despite the terrors that they had witnessed, Gerard didn’t want to leave. 

“What about the others?” Quinn asked quietly from behind them. “The ones who safe worded? Don’t they get to join us?” 

Gerard shrugged, and looked to Lyn. He was thinking about her wife, who had screamed _mercy_ during the confessional, and was sure Lyn must be thinking about her too. 

“I guess we’ll find out.” Was all she said, her pace quickened as those ahead of them grew in confidence and walked with more enthusiasm down the corridor. 

The Devil had paused at the point where the corridor turned off, but he ushered the sinners ahead along with the wolves. He waited for everyone to pass him, and reached out to grab Gerard’s wrist when he went to walk by. 

“Keep moving.” He said, soft but firm, when Lyn hesitated too. “I will return your friend to you safely, in just a moment.”

Lyn’s lips parted in surprise, but when she saw the look on Gerard’s face, she rolled her eyes fondly and turned away without argument. Quinn faltered in his step too, but Aaron winked at Gerard and pulled Quinn along by the hand, leaving Gerard and The Devil alone.

The Devil waited until everyone had gone on without them, and then he turned to Gerard and pushed him suddenly against the nearest wall. Gerard had time only to gasp, and then his wrists were being pinned above his head and The Devil was leaning in so close that he could have kissed him. 

“I will warn you once, and only once,” The Devil’s accent seemed thicker now, his voice low and husky, “I mean to make a display of you in there.” He tightened his grip around Gerard’s wrists and grinned when Gerard groaned in response. “I think you’re the type of man who likes to be spread open and exposed and made to come with all those people watching… But if I’m wrong about that, now’s the time to tell me.” 

Gerard looked at The Devil through his lashes, his lips parted as he began to breathe heavily already. When he’d been pinned to the wall, he’d dropped his towel and his cock was once again stiff and eager. He whimpered quietly, trying hard to be good and not to rut forward against The Devil’s thigh. 

“You… You’re not wrong…” He said breathlessly, staring into those dark eyes and feeling utterly weak. “Sir…” He added quietly. 

The slight twitch at the corner of The Devil’s mouth gave away how much he liked that, and Gerard’s cock twitched in return. They stared at each other for a drawn out second, until Gerard’s heart felt like it was going to leap right out of his chest, but then The Devil slowly let him go. 

“Do not think for one moment that I am through with punishing you either.” He bent down to pick up the towel and folded it in his hands. “Your friends came to your rescue this time, but I will not allow that to happen again.” He stood back, looking Gerard over with a growing smile. 

“Walk ahead then, sinner, and do not hide that pretty cock with your hands either.” He motioned for Gerard to walk ahead, his dark eyes digging into his back as he followed along behind him. “I want everyone to see how hard you are. I want them to see how just a few simple words can make you drip.” He lowered his voice to a purr, and Gerard had to swallow hard to stop himself from making a sound.

Gerard tripped into action, walking along the corridor with The Devil close behind him. His heart was in his mouth, and his hands instinctively moved forward before he caught himself and crossed them over his stomach instead. 

“If you want to play with my pets without permission, then you must accept the consequences.” The Devil went on as they walked towards the final dungeon together. “He at least has werewolf venom making his blood boil, you on the other hand, have no excuse.”

Gerard felt his blush creeping up to his ears, and his breathing came short. The thought of Frank simply acting because of werewolf venom was an oddly erotic notion; especially because The Devil was right, Gerard _had no_ excuse. He was simply eager for it; greedy; _a slut_. He had been that way since he’d been old enough to go to the bondage clubs, and the only shame he felt was the kind he conjured up for fun.

“It’s interesting how much I can learn about a man, just by watching him go through my little trials.” The Devil mused as they walked towards a doorway at the end of the corridor. “You, for example, have already revealed so much of yourself to me…” As Gerard approached the door, The Devil reached out to brush his hands along his exposed shoulders.

“Like this…” He curled his fingers around Gerard’s throat, pressing against his Adam’s apple. “I know that this gets you hot.” Gerard could practically hear the smirk in his voice. “And this,” He went on, drifting his other hand to Gerard’s chest, his fingertips teasing over one nipple which became hard in an instant, “I know how much you like this…”

He wasn’t wrong, and Gerard’s breath caught in his throat. His erection twitched and bobbed enthusiastically towards his stomach, making The Devil laugh softly in his ear. 

“That’s right…” He purred, reaching past Gerard to grasp the large, brass door handle. “Let them see how much I affect you.”

Gerard barely had time to register those words and brace himself, before the door was flung open and The Devil walked forward, pushing Gerard along ahead of him, into the final dungeon.

Inside, the space was large, but the ceilings were low, giving the room a more intimate feel. The walls and floor were made of smooth black stone, and all around the walls were large cauldron like bowls, full of flickering fire that provided the only source of light and warmth.

Across one side of the room were bench like seats, made of the same black stone but covered in black velvet and cushions for comfort. The rest of the sinners had all congregated there, and were sat, waiting for instructions.

“Restraints!” The Devil shouted out, holding Gerard by the back of the neck and walking him right into the centre of the room, directly opposite the bench seats. “Now!”

No one would have guessed that this was not a planned part of the show; one of the werewolves came forward with a collar and chain, handing them to The Devil without question. 

The collar was soft, well worked leather, and The Devil fastened it around Gerard’s neck quickly. He made a ‘v’ shape with two fingers, and slipped them beneath the collar to frame Gerard’s Adam’s apple; he paused a beat and then, satisfied, took the length of chain and secured it through a ring in the floor. 

“Cuffs.” The Devil didn’t need to shout now, he held out one hand expectantly, never moving his gaze off Gerard, and waited until another wolf dashed forward with a pair of leather wrist cuffs. 

“Sinners,” The Devil turned his attention to everyone watching whilst he twisted Gerard’s arms behind his back and secured his wrists in the cuffs, “I have promised you delights, but first an example must be made. _This_ one,” he grabbed Gerard by the arms and yanked him roughly until he was standing up straight and tall, “has broken the rules. And now he must be punished.”

A soft murmur went through the crowd, and Gerard had to squeeze his eyes shut as his cock throbbed. Embarrassment flooded him; with his arms tight behind his back and the chain on his collar preventing him from running away, he had no choice but to stand naked and exposed in front of everyone. He could practically feel his new friends staring at him, Lyn’s expression of shock burned into his retinas.

“Bring the beast.” The Devil strolled away from Gerard and began to pace in front of the benches, waiting as a commotion happened across the room. 

_This_ actually was part of the show, and it was obvious by the level of preparation that had gone into it. 

A door slid open with the sound of stone grating on stone, and Frank was pushed through it by an entourage of demons. Ahead of him, the dominatrix from the first room, and Judge Candy were striding, the clacking of their heels echoing off the stone walls. 

“Here!” Candy barked at the demons and pointed to a wooden contraption not too far from Gerard. It looked like a tall bench, with a number of rings and shackles bolted into it. 

Frank was dragged towards it by the demons, their scabbed and rotting hands pulling him roughly along the dungeon. 

Like Gerard, Frank was completely naked, but for a collar around his neck. Unlike Gerard’s, Frank’s collar was gold, with a ruby red gem set into the front. It would match his urethral plug beautifully, if only he were wearing it. Gerard almost whined in disappointment.

“Secure him.” Candy stood with her arms folded, watching as the demons bent Frank over the bench and secured his wrists to the legs. It left him in a standing bend, with his chest pressed to the top of the table. His legs were kicked wide and shackled too, and a demon grabbed him by the hair to force his head up to face their audience. 

Candy looked him over, checking the restraints and the position, and once she was satisfied, she walked towards The Devil. 

“Master.” She bowed down onto one knee and lowered her head respectfully. “How many strikes will please you?”

The Devil considered, smiling to himself as he looked at Frank. He hummed thoughtfully, and moved towards the benches. 

“How about a little audience participation…” He purred, pacing slowly in front of the first row of people. “My pet has been bad, and will be lashed for his disobedience. How many strikes do you think it will take to please me?” He walked down the line, waiting for each person to answer in turn. Their responses ranged from five to one hundred, but nothing seemed to fit the bill quite right. 

“And you?” The Devil asked, pausing at Aaron and Quinn who were sat together, Quinn in Aaron’s lap. 

Aaron shared a look with him, considering the question seriously for a moment. When the answer came, it surprised them all by coming from Quinn. 

“If I’d upset my master,” he said slowly with a glance at Aaron, “I would take twenty smacks from his hand, to warm up. And then one lash from a cane or riding crop for each of my… _sins_.” He said the word carefully, peeking up at The Devil with soft, doe eyes. “If your pet is a sinner like us, then he surely deserves seven lashes.” 

Aaron was looking at Quinn with amazement, and for a moment his expression flickered between adoration and pure, unadulterated hunger. He squeezed Quinn closer to him, and turned his head to look at The Devil too, awaiting his verdict. 

“A well reasoned argument.” The Devil was looking as impressed as Aaron. “A pet as obedient as you, must surely know what he’s talking about.” The Devil caressed Quinn’s cheek, making him preen slightly, and then he turned away with a smile.

As soon as his back was turned, Aaron turned Quinn towards him and kissed him hard. 

Gerard forgot his own embarrassment long enough to smile at them, but he soon relaxed his expression when The Devil walked towards him with a knowing smirk. 

“Twenty to warm up,” The Devil sound loudly, for all to hear, “and then seven, as our good friend suggests. With…” He paused, humming as he considered. He was talking about Frank, but it was Gerard he was looking at, as if trying to read his mind. “With… The cane, I think.” 

Gerard’s cock twitched, and The Devil grinned darkly. 

“Yes, master.” Candy bowed low and then strode away as quickly as her tall heels would carry her. Whilst she was gone, the dominatrix stepped up to Frank and lay a hand over the back of his neck. She pressed him down firmly into the bench and then looked to The Devil for his signal.

“It is wonderful to have so many pets on hand,” The Devil said sweetly as he strolled behind Gerard and stood close to his back, “it means I can discipline both of you at once.” He nodded at the dominatrix, and without warning, she turned her attention back to Frank and brought her free hand down against his backside in a hard, ringing _slap_.

Frank yelped in surprise and jerked against the table, making the chains rattle. The audience, who had been gazing between both him and Gerard, now turned all of their attention to Frank. 

“One.” The dominatrix spoke casually, her posture straight and tall and her expression blank. She kept her hand pressed to Frank’s cheek, and only moved it away to lift it over her head and bring it down again, just as sharply. 

Frank gasped and squeezed his eyes shut, letting loose a low moan of pain. His thighs began to tremble and he turned his face to the side, his teeth visibly clenching as the dominatrix said, “two.”

“Watch him.” The Devil whispered into Gerard’s ear, his hands coming to his jaw to physically turn his head. “I want you to see what your disobedience costs.”

Gerard’s lips parted and his breathing became heavy as he stared at Frank. He yearned for him; he yearned to be near him, to kiss him, to soothe away the hurt if he could… 

“Three.” The dominatrix brought her hand down again, on the opposite cheek this time. “Four.” She left no reprieve before the next slap, but she did soothe it after with a soft rub to the pink flesh. “Five,” and “six” were just as quick, but Gerard noticed she adjusted the placement each time. 

The woman was clearly a professional, and Gerard hadn’t expected anything less. She created a cup with her palm to make the slaps loud but the pain minimal, aiming for the meatiest parts of the buttocks to reduce the sting. With twenty in total, it wouldn’t do to start off strong and leave Frank in too much pain. 

Gerard _knew_ that, but Frank’s soft yelps and gasps and whimpers were very convincing. His whole body was trembling by the time they reached the halfway point, and as Candy walked back into the room with the cane, it was no surprise that a few of the watching audience began to look uncomfortable. 

Gerard though was far from uncomfortable.

Watching Frank get spanked was making heat coil through his belly. His cock, which was only getting harder the longer he waited to be touched, was by now slick with precome. His embarrassment had diminished slightly now the focus was off him, but his anticipation was growing all the time. He knew that his own punishment had barely begun. 

The final five slaps were spaced well apart, and landed with brutal efficiency. These spanks, Gerard could see, were not tender. They left Frank’s buttocks red and glowing, and his whimpers had become heavy grunts as each spank sent a jolt through his body. 

Once the dominatrix had announced number “twenty”, she released Frank’s neck and stood back to admire her handiwork. 

“Perfect.” The Devil praised her with a satisfied nod. “Give him a moment. I want him to have recovered enough to feel every last bite of that cane.” 

The dominatrix bowed her assent and stood to the side, her arms folded behind her back. 

In the meantime, The Devil stepped right up to Gerard, so that his chest touched his back, and curled the fingers of one hand around his neck. 

“Now it’s your turn.” He purred, and the audience all turned their attention to him. 

The force of their stares was like a hot poker down Gerard’s spine and he squeezed his eyes shut. The Devil noticed and squeezed his throat in a warning. 

“Open your eyes.” He ordered, his voice soft but dark. “Do not close them again. I want you to see the way they all look at you. I want you to see how they _judge_ you.” He used the hand on Gerard’s throat to keep his posture upright, never letting him sag or close in on himself; forcing him to be utterly exposed.

The demons who had followed Frank into the dungeon began to filter along the benches, brushing past the other sinners and whispering to them with high, hissing voices. Gerard couldn’t hear everything they were saying, but he heard enough to know it was all about him. He caught snatches of words, mostly things like _slut_ or _whore_. He heard the term _Devil’s harlot_ at one point, and felt a pleasant shudder go through his core.

The demons danced around the audience, whispering behind their hands and laughing, reminding Gerard of the days he had been at school. Only this time, the humiliation was heating him up, making his cheeks glow red and his cock drip. He could _feel_ everyone staring at him, let alone see it, and there was simply nowhere to hide. 

“Do you see?” The Devil whispered into his ear, their bodies so close that Gerard could feel the firmness of his chest behind him. “They think you’re nothing but a whore. They see you for what you are… _Greedy_.” 

Gerard’s breath shuddered and he almost closed his eyes again until he remembered his instructions. He was aching to be touched; watching Frank get spanked had made his balls heavy and his cock wet. 

“You’re close already, aren’t you?” The Devil spoke loud enough for everyone to hear, humiliating Gerard further and making his cock throb. “I bet I don’t even need to touch you. Bet I could make you come just with my words.”

Gerard had absolutely no doubt that was possible, but he whined pitifully in response. It would be a cruel thing indeed to have him come without a single touch; especially when he was so desperate for it. 

The Devil chuckled, as if he could read his mind, and slid the hand that wasn’t around Gerard’s throat down his stomach to cup between his legs.

Immediately, Gerard’s cock jumped into his palm and a thicker bead of precome began to ooze from the tip. Delighted, The Devil gathered it onto his thumb and then lifted it to Gerard’s mouth. He pushed his thumb past his lips without a word, and hummed his approval when Gerard sucked it deeper into his mouth and licked up his own ejaculate without hesitation. 

“Filthy boy.” The Devil couldn’t quite mask his delight. “I think I will touch you after all. I think I’d like to show everyone here just how hungry you are.” The Devil looked over at the dominatrix and nodded once to her. She responded by turning to Candy, who handed her the cane with a dark smile. 

“I think,” The Devil went on, speaking even louder now, “that I can make you come, before she even lands the seventh blow.” 

Gerard was surprised by how those words made him moan. His cheeks flamed red and his chest heaved as he began to pant, his balls growing tight from the thought alone. He scrambled to control himself, to compose before he ended up spending right then and there. His whole body twitched from the effort, making the chain on his collar tinkle against the floor. 

The Devil laughed softly and shook his head, as if even he couldn’t quite believe the effect he was having. 

“Such a greedy, restless creature.” He scoffed, holding out one hand towards the wolves and snapping his fingers. “So desperate to be touched; I’m going to fill you up and have you come in front of all these people.” 

Gerard whimpered quietly, so embarrassed and so impossibly turned on; he was overwhelmed by it, so that tears welled up in his eyes. He stared, open mouthed, as the wolf The Devil had snapped out came forward, an unlabelled bottle in it’s clawed hands. Gerard recognised the lube, and he shuddered and jerked as a healthy amount was poured right onto The Devil’s outstretched fingers. 

“And now we shall see,” The Devil called out so that his voice rang around the room, “just how easy it is to make a beast come to heel.”

The dominatrix moved first, getting into a power stance behind Frank and testing the flexibility of the cane against her palm. The sound that it made against her skin caused Frank to tremble, his eyes squeezed shut in anticipation. 

“Watch him.” The Devil growled into Gerard’s ear, as two fingers pushed up behind his balls and trailed a slick path up between his cheeks.

Gerard began to tremble too. 

The cane came down through the air with a soft _swsh_ , and then hit the meat of Frank’s red cheeks with a satisfying _thwack_ ; Frank cried out and jerked forward, and at the exact same moment, Gerard did too. 

The Devil had rubbed up against his hole, but when he found him already so soft and pliant, he had inserted both fingers at once, timing it perfectly with the contact of the cane. 

Both Frank and Gerard were left panting, their faces red and bodies aquiver. Frank was allowed to slump against the table and breathe deeply for a moment; but Gerard was kept upright by the hand around his neck, and The Devil used the toe of his boot to push Gerard’s feet apart and give his fingers more access. They slid deeper inside him, stretching him open and making him clench hard around them. 

“That’s one.” The Devil grinned against his neck, thrusting his fingers lazily, as if they had all the time in the world. He could feel the way Gerard’s muscles were rippling around him, trying to adjust around his fingers and pull them in deeper all at once. “Tell me, sinner, have you ever been touched like this by a stranger before?”

Gerard’s hole clenched in response and he couldn’t stop himself from moaning weakly. He closed his eyes, unable to bear the sight of everyone watching him get fingered by this man, but immediately the hand around his throat squeezed tight. 

“Answer me.” The Devil growled, low and dangerous. 

Gerard shuddered and his hole clenched again, his balls tightening as the first hint of orgasm began to unspool inside him. He was embarrassingly close, and the slow thrust of the fingers inside him were simply the tiny push he needed after being laid bare in front of everyone. 

The Devil wasn’t relenting his hold around his neck, and it took Gerard until the second blow from the cane had landed before he remembered he wasn’t allowed to close his eyes. He opened them again, and the fingers around his throat immediately loosened. He gazed blearily at everyone staring at him, panting hard as he took in their stunned faces.

“Answer me.” The Devil spoke softer this time. “Tell everybody here how many times you’ve let strangers fuck you before?”

Gerard swallowed hard and sobbed quietly as the fingers pressed deeper inside him, rubbing over his prostate and making his cock jump. He was so close, all he could focus on was the deep throb of his muscles, his whole body going rigid with the need to come. 

“I…” His voice came out cracked and reedy, and he had to clear his throat before he could try again. “I d - don’t… ah!” His hips jerked forward as a third finger pressed into him, stretching his hole and almost tipping him over the edge. “I - I’ve never - I swear-!”

“I wonder why I don’t believe you.” The Devil sounded amused. “Another!”

Gerard was confused for a moment, until he heard the _swish_ and _thwack_ of the cane, and the dominatrix announce, “three.”

“Are you still watching?” The Devil spoke pleasantly, and he could have been asking Gerard or the audience at that point. “Are you trying to embarrass me?” He was definitely speaking to Gerard now. “Think you can hold on long enough to make me look the fool?”

Gerard hadn’t even considered that for a moment, and a tinge of fear swirled with the pleasure in his belly. 

“N - No, sir, I -”

“Because I assure you, it won’t work.” The Devil began to work his fingers faster, thrusting them into Gerard’s body and making his legs go weak. “Either you come, or you pass out. It’s your choice.” 

Threats laid out, The Devil closed his fingers around Gerard’s throat again and squeezed. Gerard had only a split second to realise what was happening and suck in a breath, and then his chance was gone. 

Adrenaline spiked and his heart rate tripled in an instant. He only vaguely heard the fourth strike of the cane, and then all he could hear was his own blood roaring in his ears. His muscles squeezed tight around the fingers inside him, the sensation of a large hand cutting off his airway only helping his orgasm along.

It rushed at him with such force that Gerard knew he was long gone past the point of no return. The Devil was pounding his fingers into him with such speed that it was making his arm move, leaving no doubt for their watching audience what was going on behind Gerard. 

Gerard didn’t care anymore anyway. He was riding the crest of his orgasm for all it was worth, spreading his legs wide in a wanton display and trying to moan but unable to draw in the breath he needed. His head was swimming and his vision was closing in on the edges, but all he could feel, all he _knew_ was complete, all consuming pleasure.

It had been a long time since he’d come from another’s touch, and longer still since he’d managed it without a hand on his cock. And yet The Devil - this incredible man he didn’t even know - brought him over the edge with nothing but his hand on his throat and his fingers in his arse, and Gerard was coming for him so intensely so that the first pulse shot right up his own stomach and chest.

As soon as The Devil felt the telltale throb around his fingers, and saw the rope of ejaculate stripe up Gerard’s chest, he released his throat and let him suck in the oxygen he needed to punch his orgasm up another notch. It was so effective that Gerard cried out in surprise, and he would have crumpled to his knees if The Devil wasn’t already holding him up.

His cock throbbed and jerked, making a mess of himself and the floor as he spilt seemingly endless amounts of ejaculate. The Devil never faltered, slowing his fingers but keeping them moving, milking him for all he was worth.

Frank’s own punishment was reaching its peak too, and strikes five, six and seven landed in quick succession. There was no satisfying orgasm at the end of it for Frank, but his moans of delight were almost as loud as Gerard’s as the dominatrix handed the cane back to Candy and soothed his raw buttocks with a cold, wet cloth.

For a while, the audience could only stare in amazement, as both Frank and Gerard were brought down from their respective heights by a professional team. 

The Devil drew his fingers slowly out of Gerard, giving one last rub over his hole to soothe him and then he used one hand to release him from his wrist cuffs. The collar he kept on, but he unclipped the chain and caught Gerard in his arms when he tried to slump to the floor. 

“Good boy.” He praised him, keeping him upright against his chest, though he turned him so he was more side on, letting him hide his body slightly against his suit. “Very good boy. You’ve pleased me greatly.” He spoke quietly into Gerard’s ear, letting him alone hear his words. It made Gerard smile, giddy and a little orgasm-drunk, and he pressed his cheek to The Devil’s chest. 

Frank was also being unchained, and when he was free to stand up he did so slowly, as though he wasn’t sure he trusted himself to move without falling.

The dominatrix helped him with a gentle smile, her demeanour completely changed, and Frank grinned wolfishly as she helped him move away from the spanking bench and sink down onto his knees on the floor instead. He was still breathing heavily, and now there was nothing blocking him from view, his erection was obvious. 

The Devil looked at him with a pleased grin for a moment, and then he turned his attention to their silent audience. He could easily see those who were aroused and those who were in a state of shock, and he chuckled quietly. 

“Now. The punishment is over.” He spoke clearly, for all to hear. “I promised you all pleasure, and now you shall have it. But first, since I am in such a… _merciful_ mood, let us be joined by those who stumbled in my trials.”

At his words, the scraping sound of the door at the back rang out, and once again demons came through it. This time, they were shepherding a small group of people. Gerard looked over, his vision still slightly blurry, and tried to recognise any of them. He spotted Lauren after a moment, walking with a dark haired woman who squealed in delight and broke from the group to run towards Lyn. 

Gerard watched them collide and embrace and smiled stupidly to himself. 

“You see, I am a friend to you all.” The Devil’s tone was silky sweet and laden with something that could either be a promise or a threat. “This is a place of pleasure and inclusivity. My toys are yours to play with.” He held out a hand in a sweeping motion, to indicate the various props, toys and sex frames that were being brought into the room by demons and wolves alike. “You may play with whomever gives you their consent. My wolves are here to help, and to oversee.” He looked around at everyone with a stern gaze. “Any further disobedience shall not be met as kindly from now on. To any who do not think they can be obedient, or who do not wish to be a part of my harem, the exit is to your left.”

The open doorway lit up with a soft, blue glow, and a few people immediately walked towards it. No one tried to stop them, and once it was clear that they could all leave at any point they wished, the rest of the group began to move slowly apart.

Couples reunited and groups of friends joined one another, and soon the dungeon was full of laughter and chatter. The demons and the wolves, who had seemed so frightening throughout the furnace, now stood beside various contraptions, smiling at people and offering assistance to anyone who came over with questions.

Gerard watched it all with a dazed expression, half wondering if he’d passed out after all and this was a dream. He looked up at The Devil’s face, at his black eyes that seemed so warm somehow, and felt his heart miss a beat. 

“I hope you do not think I am through with you.” The Devil smiled at him and brushed his knuckles across Gerard’s cheek. “You wanted to play with my pet, didn’t you?” Gerard felt another hand on his back and he realised with a jolt that Frank had joined them. “Well then,” The Devil purred, “now’s your chance.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, was the original plan to end this story here? Yes it was. Is that still going to be the case? You can bet your sweet asses it ain't! 
> 
> I've had such a blast writing this guys, but the story has definitely taken a few unexpected turns and I'm not sure whether I have just one, or two chapters left in m, but there's definitely more to come. So I'm going to keep on trucking, and I hope you guys will stick with me to the end! <3


	11. Out of the furnace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends!
> 
> I am so sorry this chapter took so long!! I have been having such a battle with it - in my head, I had a very clear ending and I knew what I was doing, but these gosh darn boys just won't do as I say. I have finally surrendered and let them have their way, and so here it is - the penultimate chapter. Going not at all where I thought, but still somewhere wonderful I hope.
> 
> The final chapter will (hopefully) be up today as well! So keep your eyes peeled my lovelies, and stick with me just a little while longer <3

By the time Gerard was recovered enough from his stupor to get shakily to his feet, they were surrounded by people. Some of them were eager to talk to Gerard, full of questions of how he’d ended up in the show if he wasn’t a plant; but most were after Frank and The Devil.

It shouldn’t have been a surprise that they were the most popular people in the room. As soon as one person approached them, everyone else took the chance to do the same, and Gerard just naturally drifted away. He didn’t like being bundled in a crowd, and his chance to play with Frank looked as though it were gone.

“Gee, hey!” Lyn bounded up to him the moment she saw him separate himself from the crowd, her arms out to embrace him before she hesitated. She looked him over, still completely naked, and blushed. 

“Gerard!” Quinn, on the other hand, seemed nothing short of delighted and he beamed as he jumped at Gerard and hugged him tight. “That was something else! What an amazing show! Did you know you’d be part of it?” He asked eagerly. 

“No, I’m as shocked as you are.” Gerard laughed weakly, his cheeks red. He felt weakened by the show, and disappointed that his chance with Frank had been taken away. He looked longingly in his direction, but couldn’t see him past all the people.

“I wonder if he’ll do me next.” Quinn followed Gerard’s gaze, his eyes wide as he looked for The Devil. “That man just screams dom energy.” He whispered, enraptured. 

“You already have a dom.” Aaron came up beside them and lay a possessive hand to Quinn’s shoulder. “And I don’t share.” 

Quinn looked at Aaron, his grin huge, and turned to kiss him. The two of them looked indecently happy to be in one another’s arms, and Gerard felt a little rush of relief that The Devil’s comments about love had apparently been forgotten. 

“I noticed a revolving wheel over there.” Aaron had a cool, knowing smile on his face as he gazed at Quinn and inclined his head. “How about we go speak to that nice zombie and ask them to show us how to use it?”

Quinn lit up immediately and he practically dragged Aaron across the room in his haste to see the wheel. Gerard watched them go with a fond smile, but wasn’t in the mood to join them. Not even to watch. Instead, he glanced around, hoping to see where his clothes had gone. 

“We’re probably going to head straight out.” Lyn touched his arm gently, smiling at him. “Me and Liss aren’t really exhibitionists, and we’ve had enough fun for one night.” She glanced in the direction of the dark haired woman Gerard could guess was her wife, talking happily with Lauren a short distance away. “Want to join us? There’s a bar through there.” She looked at the exit doors, and Gerard automatically looked in Frank’s direction again, wondering if he’d still want him to wait for him there. 

“I…” He hesitated, unsure. “I don’t have my clothes…”

“I’ll ask for them for you.” Lyn giggled, squeezing his arm when she saw he was distracted. “Wait here.” She left him alone to go in search of a member of staff, and Gerard wrapped his arms around himself to try and cover as much of his body as possible.

As he was stood waiting, still trying to get a glimpse of Frank or The Devil through the crowds, something heavy and soft suddenly draped over his shoulders. Gerard jumped in surprise, his heart missing a beat, and whirled around to see -

“Forgive me, it was not my intention to leave you alone.” The Devil, looking kinder and more handsome than ever, wrapping his suit jacket around Gerard like a safety blanket. “We don’t usually include guests in the final show, and there wasn’t time for me to arrange somewhere private for proper aftercare.”

“It’s okay.” Gerard found himself saying, his lips moving without thinking as he gazed up at The Devil in awe. His jacket was heavy and warm, and when Gerard moved his chin slightly to one side, he caught the lingering scent of a spicy cologne on the fabric that made his already weak knees go even weaker.

“It’s not okay, and I intend to make it up to you.” It was clear to Gerard that he was no longer being spoken to by The Devil, but by the man who played him. He wondered if he ought to feel disappointed, but instead he felt nothing but excitement. 

“How?” He asked quietly, his heart racing as his whole body went warm. 

“Will you wait for us?” He asked, reaching out to touch Gerard’s chin, his thumb tracing the line of his lips. “We have to stay until all of our guests are satisfied, but if you’ll wait, we shall meet you after.” 

“We?” Gerard glanced behind himself, at the crowd still hovering around Frank. “Both of you?”

“If that’s okay?” The Devil had a little quirk to his lips, fighting against a smile, “you still wanted to play with him, didn’t you?”

Gerard was sure he must be dreaming. He gazed at The Devil with bright, wide eyes; his lips parting slightly as his thumb pressed against them. Where he had been feeling weak and tired just a moment ago, he suddenly felt invigorated. 

“Of course, you can stay here if you like.” The Devil went on, his smile more obvious now. “But I’m just thinking of all the fun we can have in private… and you look as though you could do with a short respite.” 

Thinking about it, Gerard supposed that was true. He glanced to his left, where Lyn was thanking one of the bathroom cheerleaders as she handed her Gerard’s folded clothes, and then he looked back at The Devil, watching him so calmly. 

“I’ll wait.” He promised, making butterflies fill his stomach. “For both of you.” 

The Devil smiled. “Good boy.” He praised, turning Gerard’s butterflies to elephants. 

He watched Gerard as he backed away, smiling faintly, and Gerard gazed right back, his eyes bright and starstruck. By the time Lyn came over with his clothes, he looked like he’d been drugged. 

“You okay?” Lyn asked, unsure whether to be amused or concerned. “What did he say to you?”

“Nothing.” Gerard took his folded clothes from her, shaking his head quickly to try and clear the daze. “Nothing, lets go.”

*

The bar at the end of the furnace was dark and warm, still keeping with the theme but in a much more welcoming way. Rich, dark woods made the bar top and the booth seats, with plush velvet cushions for comfort. The bar staff were dressed all in black, but wore bright, friendly smiles. They could make any cocktail you could dream up to ask, as well as having a themed menu, but Gerard simply sipped some sparkling water; he was feeling flustered enough as it was, and he wanted to stay sober. 

Lauren, Lyn and her wife Melissa, sat around a table with Gerard, giggling into their cocktails. They had all chosen to try _Wolf milk_ , which was creamy and sweet, and apparently very potent.

“I wish I’d stayed,” Melissa sighed after they had finished filling her in on all she had missed in the furnace, “but those nuns were just too much for me.”

“I can’t believe you abandoned me.” Lyn dropped her head onto Melissa’s shoulder and pouted at her. “I got left with that homophobic asshole, and Mr Thirsty over there.” She nodded at Gerard with a cheeky grin. “If it hadn’t been for Lauren I don’t know what I’d have done.” 

“Quinn and Aaron weren’t so bad.” Lauren offered, laughing a little at Gerard’s taken aback look. “Oh don’t look so shocked Gee, you _were_ thirsty.”

“Were?” Lyn scoffed. “ _Are_.”

Gerard supposed there was no point in arguing otherwise. “In my defence, it’s been a long time since I’ve gotten any.” He said innocently. “And being thirsty does not make me as bad as Jack.” He added, a little put out that they would even compare him to that asshole. “What happened to him anyway?”

Lyn looked around, as if Jack would suddenly pop up, but it was Lauren who answered. “He left. Everyone who cried mercy had to wait until the final dungeon to return to the furnace, but Jack got impatient and stormed out after a few minutes.” Her lips twitched as she fought with the urge to smile. “He tried demanding a refund, but I told one of the members of staff that his homophobic comments had made our group uncomfortable and he was told to sling it.”

Gerard was surprised, but he couldn’t stop himself from smiling, especially when Lyn snorted with laughter. “That jackass!” She crowed, “I’m glad he got what was coming to him.”

“I did enjoy watching him get dragged off by the witch.” Gerard admitted with a little grin. “Especially when he’d been trying to act so tough.” 

The four of them shared another laugh, and Lyn turned to Melissa to explain to her about Jack properly as they drank their cocktails. Gerard stirred the lemon around his water with his straw, and tried not to let his mind wander too much.

They had been in the bar for half an hour by then, but it took another three cocktails before Quinn and Aaron joined them. By that time, dozens of people had left the furnace, all in various states of undress and looking rather pleased. The bar was filling up, and it was Quinn who sidled through the crowd to find them. 

“Hi!” He beamed, his hair all tasselled and his eyes bright. “I can’t believe you guys didn’t stay, that was so much fun!” 

“We can live it vicariously through you.” Lyn smirked, a little more than just tipsy by then. She squeezed closer to Melissa, pushing everyone around the booth some more to make room for Quinn. “M’sure you’re going to tell us all about it.”

Quinn’s expression was all the answer they needed. 

As he began by gushing about the rotary wheel, Aaron appeared, holding two glass bottles of root beer. He smiled at them all and squeezed in next to Quinn, and interrupted him long enough to tell him _“drink”_ , before letting him continue. 

“I’m surprised you didn’t stay Gerard.” Aaron said softly as Quinn talked animatedly to the three women who were all giggling. “There were some great displays going on in there.”

“I’m just feeling a bit tired.” Gerard shrugged, though it wasn’t entirely true. “I’m not actually that into being watched by a crowd.” Even at the bondage club, Gerard preferred to go into a private room rather than play on the main floor. “I’m glad you guys had fun though.”

“We did.” Aaron smiled warmly at Quinn, shaking his head fondly. “We’ve never played in front of an audience before, so we kept it to bondage without any sex, but it was exciting.” 

“I bet you can’t wait to get him home.” Gerard chuckled, taking himself by surprise at his own bluntness, but Aaron didn’t seem to notice. He was looking at Quinn, his smile turning almost sad. 

“He’s got his own home to go back to.” He said quietly, as if he had forgotten he was even talking to anyone else. “A girlfriend waiting for him… I won’t be going with him.” 

“Oh.” Gerard’s heart sank and he reached out without thinking, touching Aaron’s hand where it lay on the bench seat. He wanted to say something to soothe him, but in the end all he could think of was, “I’m sorry.” 

Aaron jerked, as if waking up suddenly, and he rushed to smile and brush Gerard’s apology away. “What? God, no, don’t be! I don’t know why I said that so morbidly, it’s not like I’ll never see him again, we spend every Friday evening together.” Aaron laughed awkwardly, almost hysterically, and Gerard’s chest ached even more.

“You should tell him.” He said quietly, blushing when Aaron looked at him in surprise. He was probably wondering what had loosened Gerard’s tongue so much, and Gerard was wondering the same thing. “I just mean… I… I know I don’t know either of you very well but… M - Maybe if you told him then…” Gerard trailed off, shaking his head. It wasn’t his place to say what Aaron should or shouldn’t do. 

Aaron looked so shocked, it was clear he was speechless. His lips parted but nothing came out, and before he could summon his voice, they were all being distracted by applause.

Gerard turned to see what all the commotion was about, and felt his stomach swoop. 

Frank, The Devil, and several others from the Furnace team were walking into the bar. The Devil smiled, holding his hands up politely. People closest to them rushed to greet them and shake their hands, but they soon fell back when Frank and The Devil declined any offers for drinks. The other actors were eager to accept though, and they took all the attention as Frank stood on tiptoes and peered across the bar.

Even seeing him so obviously searching wasn’t enough to convince Gerard that they were looking for him. When Frank finally spotted him and their eyes met, Gerard felt heat climbing up his face, and his smile was shaky and disbelieving. It seemed too good to be true, and yet these men, these two _gorgeous_ men were most definitely heading in his direction.

“Gerard, you waited!” Frank reached him first and wrapped his arms around Gerard like they were old friends. “I’m so glad!”

“I’m sorry we kept you.” The Devil was close behind, and he smiled warmly at the group as he lay a hand on Gerard’s shoulder. “Are you ready to leave right away? I don’t want to drag you away from your friends...” 

Gerard had just enough of his faculties left not to immediately insist it was fine, and instead turned his pleading eyes on his new friends. He didn’t want to admit that he was eager to go - not that he knew where they were going - and Lyn scoffed as soon as she saw his expression. 

“Oh sure, forget all about us.” She slurred, though her eyes twinkled merrily. “At least leave us your number you asshole, so we can all meet up again.”

“That sounds like a great idea.” Lauren gasped, and Aaron chuckled as he nodded his agreement. 

“That does actually, I’d like to see you all again.”

Frank left to get them a pen from behind the bar, and Gerard tried not to vibrate out of his own skin from his eagerness to leave. He had folded The Devil’s jacket in his lap, and when he offered it to him, The Devil only smiled and draped it back around Gerard’s shoulders. 

“Keep it.” He said simply.

Gerard was doomed.

The Devil picked up Gerard’s drink whilst the group were busy exchanging numbers and tried a sip. When he tasted the water he smiled, and Gerard felt a pleased thrill go through him. The Devil didn’t say it, but Gerard couldn’t practically hear the words _good boy_.

As soon as he had given his number to Aaron (as the most responsible person left in their group, he was taking the responsibility of arranging a time for them all to meet again), Gerard slipped out of the booth and quickly hugged everyone goodbye.

“I’m sorry to rush away-”

“It’s fine.” Aaron held him the tightest, and he smiled as he rubbed his back. “Go and have some fun. We’ll all be dying to hear about it after.” He grinned at him and Gerard felt a rush of affection for him. “Thank you.” Aaron added quietly. “We’ll talk properly some other time, okay?”

“Okay.” Gerard agreed, though he still felt guilty for leaving him.

He didn’t feel anywhere near as bad for leaving the women, who all teased him for bailing on them and for being such an obvious slut as they hugged him goodbye. They were all drunk, and Gerard was mostly just glad to know that Aaron would see them all home safely.

Quinn hugged Gerard tight too, and kissed him brightly on the cheek. “You’re a lucky guy.” He grinned deviously. “Please know I’m very jealous.”

Gerard chuckled and squeezed Quinn’s hands. “You’re luckier.” He told him, and his words were loaded with meaning that made Quinn’s smile falter. “You could be with your own man tonight, if you wanted to be.” 

Gerard knew he was saying too much, and he was relieved when The Devil stepped in and pulled him away before he could say anymore. The last thing he saw before he was being pulled through the crowded bar, was Quinn’s wide, uncertain eyes.

*

Outside, the night air was shockingly cool on Gerard’s flushed skin. The sky was clear, and this far in the middle of nowhere meant that the stars were bright and bountiful. Gerard just hadn’t noticed before. 

“We should introduce ourselves properly.” The Devil smiled warmly at Gerard as they walked out of the bar and into a parking lot which was hidden behind the tall walls surrounding the furnace; there were a dozen cars there, undoubtedly for the staff, and then the coach that had brought all the guests. 

“I’m Frank.” Frank started with a cheeky grin. “But you knew that.” He squeezed Gerard’s hand and kissed his cheek. “And this alluring gentleman is Grant.” He waved his free hand at The Devil who, Gerard noticed with a start, was looking at him with warm, brown eyes, and no longer the all black contacts he had been wearing before.

“G - Grant.” He repeated, remembering that Frank had mentioned his name in the mirror maze. He blushed and offered him his hand, like the awkward idiot he was, making Frank laugh. “I - I’m Gerard.”

“I know.” Grant’s smile was kind though undoubtedly amused. He clasped Gerard’s hand but didn’t shake it; instead he slowly turned it palm down, and raised his knuckles to his mouth for a soft kiss. Gerard felt the faintest scratch of stubble and nearly fainted. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you properly at last.” Grant stopped walking at the edge of the lot and turned to face Gerard. “I’m dying to get to know you properly. And I’m sure you must have questions for us too.”

Gerard was certain of it, but right then he couldn’t think of a single thing. He looked up at Grant with wide eyes and in the end, he could manage only one question. 

“Why me?”

Frank laughed softly and pressed behind Gerard, idly stroking his fingers around his hips whilst Grant chuckled. He curled a finger beneath Gerard’s chin and coaxed his head back even more, searching his eyes as if he would find something interesting there. Gerard had never felt more seduced in his life. 

“Why you?” Grant repeated, saying the words slowly, practically rolling them around his mouth as if to taste them. He hummed, considered the question, and shrugged one shoulder in such a lazy motion that Gerard’s cock throbbed. “It’s not as though we go around picking a different person every night… in fact, we very much _don’t_ do that… but something about you transfixed my lover. And anyone that gets Frank all flustered, is definitely someone I have to meet.”

Gerard blinked. His heart skipped a beat. “Lover?”

“Yes, Gerard.” Grant looked amused again, and though Frank managed to stay quiet, Gerard could feel him trembling with subdued laughter. “Do you think we would do half of what we’ve done tonight, if we were not lovers?”

Gerard _had_ suspected as much, but it still felt like a punch to the chest to hear it confirmed. He hadn’t had enough time, once he’d figured it out before the room with the oracle, to really _think_ about what it meant for these two men to be lovers. And now, his mind swam with questions.

“But… If you’re… Then why would I…” His brain was too frazzled to get his words out properly. These men, both of them, were far too attractive and practically offering themselves to him; he’d be an idiot to back down on the grounds that they were already a couple. “I don’t understand.” He eventually managed to whisper. 

“You will.” Grant promised, and when he stood aside, Gerard was shocked to discover that a car had pulled up next to them. “It’s almost an hour drive to our home. We’d like you to join us, and I promise we can discuss as much as you like on the way.” Frank moved around to stand beside Grant, the two of them smiling so sweetly at Gerard, as though they were actually nervous he would refuse. “And of course,” Grant went on, “should you choose to come, I’ll make sure you’re returned home safely, at whatever point you wish to leave.”

“And if I never want to leave?” Gerard blurted out without thinking, making both men laugh with such delight that his embarrassment didn’t get chance to make him shrink away. 

“Let’s worry about that if we come to it, hm?” Grant suggested, sharing a fond look with Frank. “But for now, Gerard, will you at least get in the car?”

Gerard was fairly certain that he should have been feeling some sort of trepidation over such an offer. If these men were actually murderers, then they were going to find it laughably easy to kill him. And yet, an entire bar full of people had seen him leave with them, and frankly, if Gerard got to see Grant’s dick before they killed him he would consider it worth it. 

“Okay.” His heart was racing, but not from fear, and he even smiled as Frank opened up his arms for him and pulled him into the car after him so that Gerard ended up in the middle of the back seat. 

Grant slipped in gracefully beside them, closing the door behind him. “Home please Mark.” He said brightly, as polite and calm as he was any other night.

Gerard, who had been falling happily into a tangle of limbs with Frank, poked his head up in alarm. “You have your own driver!?” He asked, suddenly embarrassed. He tried to sit up properly, but Frank pulled him back into his arms and laughed as he used his toe to press a button in the ceiling. 

“Of course.” He said simply, as a black partition began to rise between the front and back of the car, lending them some privacy. “We’re rich ya know?” He said it playfully, but Grant still tsk’d at him.

“Don’t be crude, love.” He told Frank firmly. “We have a driver for work only.” He explained to Gerard, who was twisting in Frank’s grip to look at him. “Our car ride home gives us a perfect opportunity to come down after a night in the furnace. Especially if things have been difficult or overwhelming… it provides a chance for aftercare. But of course, that wouldn’t be so if one of us were driving.” He shrugged, as though that were obvious. 

“Oh.” Gerard was looking starstruck once again, but Frank was quick to touch his jaw and turn his face back towards him. 

“I’m sure there’s a lot you want to know about us but I’ve been dying to kiss you properly all night.” He said bluntly, his eyes sparkling when Gerard immediately went slack in his arms. “And I was promised a chance to play with you in the final dungeon and I never got it - so please, _please_ can I just make out with you for a minute?”

Gerard looked at Frank like he couldn’t believe he was real, and instead of answering, he simply sank deeper into his embrace and closed the gap between them. Frank tipped his head up at the final moment, and they both sighed as their lips touched at long last.

Grant settled back into his seat with a fond smile, one arm stretched out across the back of the chairs, and simply watched them. It was nice to relax after the gauntlet of the furnace, which for him and all the other staff, was a marathon of darting along dark hallways, costume changes, carefully choreographed bondage and keeping up a character all whilst carefully monitoring their guests. That night had been especially taxing, what with Frank’s insistence on including Gerard, and whilst it had all paid off, Grant was glad it was over.

It also meant he was content to sit back for a while and simply enjoy the show.

Frank’s kisses were hot and hungry at first, but soon enough, he relaxed and sank down more into the seats. He tangled one leg around Gerard’s waist and dug his heel into the small of his back, pressing their bodies tight whilst their lips moved in a slow dance. Gerard’s weight atop him felt wonderful, and when Frank curled his hands around the lapels of Grant’s jacket to pull Gerard in closer, he caught the scent of his cologne, mixing with that of Gerard’s sweat; it was heady and addictive, and Frank moaned quietly as his hips rose up of their own accord.

Gerard shivered and pressed tighter to Frank, groaning as his lips opened up and their tongues brushed. Frank was arching under him, kissing him deep but slow, like they had all the time in the world. It wasn’t like the hungry, frantic way they had kissed in the mirror maze. This was sweet and sultry, making Gerard’s toes curl. It made his heart race and his head swim, and it was only Grant’s solid presence beside him that made him feel in any way grounded.

Frank pressed his hands into Gerard’s hair and tangled his fingers into the mess of dark locks. He tasted faintly of cherry still, and Frank eagerly rubbed his tongue up against his soft palate to steal more of the sweetness. His cock was thickening up fast, his body barely a breath away from an erection ever since he’d been caned and left wanting.

“Can’t believe you left me in that dungeon…” He panted against Gerard’s lips, rolling his hips up with intent, “been fucking aching ever since…”

“Yeah?” Gerard sounded stunned even to his own ears, despite the way he could easily feel Frank’s cock between them. He shifted slightly, adjusting the angle of their hips so he could feel him even more. “M’sorry, I didn’t realise-”

“Don’t be sorry.” Frank hurried to silence him, pulling on his hair slightly as he rocked under him. “Fuck, don’t be sorry, just… nngh…”

“Darling,” Grant’s soft voice somehow penetrated the noise of both Frank and Gerard’s heavy breathing, “calm down. We agreed we wouldn’t rush him into anything.”

Gerard’s spine tingled to realise they must have been discussing him throughout the night; that somewhere amidst the business of the furnace, they had not only agreed to put him in the show, but to ask him to come to their home as well. And not only that, but they had even discussed that they wouldn’t _rush_ him, as if Gerard himself wasn’t absolutely gagging for them.

“I want to.” He insisted, pulling back from Frank’s lips so he could be heard. “You’re so hard.” He cupped a hand between Frank’s legs, his breath shuddering when Frank immediately arched into his palm, unbelievably hard and hot. “Wanna suck it. Wanna suck you, Frankie, can I?”

“Jesus fucking Christ, ask him.” Frank gasped, his voice strained and frustrated as he widened his legs and moaned. He was as hungry for it as Gerard was, and in the time it took for a single heartbeat, Gerard realised his mistake. 

“Can I, Grant?” He raced to correct himself, his head spinning as he realised that Grant wasn’t just putting on an act in the furnace. Out here, he may not be the Devil, but he was still most certainly in charge. “Please sir, can I? I want to.”

“Goodness me.” Grant’s large hand rubbed over the nape of Gerard’s neck, making all of his breath leave him in a rush. “Why I thought I could move things slowly with you two I will never know.” He sounded delighted about it, and Gerard could hear the smile in his voice as he gave his permission. “I see no reason not to let you enjoy yourselves. Go ahead, my darlings.” 

Gerard’s heart missed a beat at the petname and he moaned softly as he went back to Frank’s lips for one more glorious kiss. 

When they broke apart again, Frank was dizzy with want. He flopped one arm over his eyes and whined, breathing hard as Gerard bent over him. The car was a little cramped with all three of them, so Frank shimmied up as much as possible, until he was sitting up against the door, and Gerard half slid off the seat so he could lower himself between Frank’s legs.

“Fuck, been waiting for this…” Frank whispered, stroking one hand through Gerard’s hair as he watched him, his pupils blown wide with lust. 

Gerard looked up at him, his own eyes dark. It was insane to him that Frank had been wanting him all night, when he already had Grant, but he wasn’t about to argue. He fumbled with the zipper of Frank’s jeans, yanking them open with little finesse. Frank’s erection bulged through the fly, and Gerard could have wept he was so happy.

“Fuck…” He sighed, burying his nose against the soft fabric of Frank’s briefs and inhaling deeply. “You smell so good…”

“Fucking hell…” Frank choked, squeezing his eyes shut as his cock throbbed. “You’re unreal.”

Gerard gave a soft, husky laugh and nuzzled his nose along the side of Frank’s shaft. He was so hard that he could feel him straining in his underwear, and Gerard simply had to open his mouth over him to make him jump against his lips.

They had an hour drive, Grant had said, so Gerard intended to make this last. Though Frank was moaning and whimpering like he couldn’t stand another second of waiting.

“He’s always extra sensitive after the plug.” Grant’s voice came from above him, soft and conversational. “It won’t take much.” 

“Yes, sir.” Gerard spoke without thinking, his wide eyes taking in every detail as he began to ease his fingers over the waistband of Frank’s briefs. “Should I let him finish quickly?” 

Grant hummed thoughtfully, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest. It raised goosebumps along Gerard’s arms and his own cock throbbed with heat. 

“Shall I direct you?” Grant offered, his long fingers coming to play through Gerard’s hair. “Tell you what he likes? Get him spilling down your throat before we even make it back to town?” The questions were practically rhetorical, but Gerard still moaned and nodded eagerly. 

“Yes. Yes please, sir.”

“Alright then.” Grant sounded pleased. “Do exactly as I say. We shan’t tease him, he’s waited quite long enough.”

“Thank fuck.” Frank grunted, his voice strained and breathless. He had listened to them in tense silence, but he relaxed again then, and Gerard was delighted to feel moisture spreading against his lips through the cloth of his underwear.

“He’s leaking already.” He whispered, sucking against the fabric to taste the bitter notes of preejaculate. 

“Sensitive, like I said.” Grant nodded, smiling as he watched the hungry way Gerard nosed around the bulge of Frank’s erection. He was clearly the type of man who liked to relish every second; Grant could imagine he was the sort of person who liked to indulge in drawn out, lengthy sessions of play. Poor Frank would never cope after being built up all night though, and there’d be time enough for it later.

“Quickly now,” Grant urged in a low, husky voice, “pull his cock free and let me see how much he wants it.”

Frank arched slightly, his fingers scratching against the roof of the car, and moaned as Gerard obeyed without hesitation. He dragged Frank’s boxers down just enough to let his erection spring free, and then hooked the fabric behind his balls to keep it in place. He paused to look, and Frank could see the desire in his eyes. 

Gerard’s mouth was practically watering, his tongue running along the crease of his lips to wet them. His gaze was drawn to the moisture that was glistening in Frank’s tip, just begging to be tasted. His foreskin was all the way back, revealing glans that were flushed an angry red. The veins in his shaft were protruding and Gerard could see now why Grant was urging him to hurry. Clearly, Frank had been teased enough as it was.

“Just as I thought,” Grant said calmly, still gently stroking his fingers through Gerard’s hair, “he’s burning for it. I warn you, Gerard, it will only take a few seconds once he’s in your mouth.”

Gerard didn’t see how that could be a bad thing. His eyes were dark and glossy, and he looked up at Frank with an almost devilish grin.

“Yeah?” His voice was husky and breathless, just from thinking about sucking Frank. “Can I put him in my mouth, sir?” He asked sweetly, breathing deep to inhale the musky scent coming from Frank’s lap. He even smelled like he was close, and Gerard couldn’t bear to wait anymore either.

Grant tortured them both by pretending to think about his answer, just for a second… just long enough for Frank’s chest to start heaving. 

“Alright.” He nodded, smirking as Frank’s eyes rolled back with relief. “Make him come.”

Gerard didn’t need telling twice. He used his tongue to hook Frank’s cock into his mouth and took him in deep. He tasted divine, and the heat of him on his tongue was enough to make Gerard’s hips press into the car seat, grinding into the edge of it as his own cock ached with need.

Frank gasped and pressed a fist into his mouth, trying to stifle his moans for the drivers sake as Gerard sucked him hard and bobbed his head. He worked his tongue around him, sucking and slurping as if he tasted of the finest caramel, and hummed around him every time he reached his tip. It sent vibrations through Frank’s cock, and he had to squeeze his eyes shut as pleasure caused his whole body to shake and clench.

“Good boys.” Grant praised, his soft, calm voice the perfect balance to Gerard’s fever pitch. “How does he taste, darling?” He asked Gerard, whilst watching Frank closely to see how close he was. “He must be leaking by now, can you taste how much he wants it?”

Gerard could, and he hummed louder in response. Frank was throbbing in his mouth, and each heavy pulse sent another drop of preejaculate onto his tongue. Gerard lapped it up, greedy for more.

Frank bit into his knuckles, but couldn’t stop himself from making a desperate, keening sound low in his throat. He had been on edge ever since the courtroom, and Gerard’s hunger wasn’t giving him a single chance to compose. Each suck, each swirl of his hot tongue, was barrelling him closer and closer to the edge, until all he knew, all he could focus on, was the orgasm rising like a tsunami through his body.

“Mngh… Nngh…” Frank was biting so hard on his knuckles he could feel his teeth bruising the skin, but he didn’t care. He was rising off the seat, his thighs quivering as he teetered on the edge for that glorious half second of perfect, orgasmic clarity; and then he was tumbling, free-falling into the abyss as he spilled his release hard into Gerard’s mouth.

“Good. Good boys.” Grant’s words were practically a purr and his eyes shone with delight. “That’s it, my love, come for him. Come into that pretty mouth; he’s been dying for it all night, after all.”

Gerard wondered if Grant had any idea of just how right he was. He hummed to himself, a happy little sound, and swallowed down every pulse of ejaculate as it striped over his tongue.

Frank was so overcome that he kept twitching long after he had spilt the last drop. Gerard went on suckling at his tip, nudging his tongue gently to the slit, just in case he could coax out any more. 

“He’ll be sensitive, love.” Grant said gently, tugging ever so carefully on Gerard’s hair to pull him away. “Give him chance to recover.”

Gerard fell back obediently, letting Frank’s cock slip from his mouth. He bent back between his legs though and mouthed around the base of his shaft instead, humming as he inhaled deep and slipped lower still, to feel the weight of his testes on his nose. 

“He smells so good…” He groaned, practically trying to burrow into Frank’s jeans. “Want some more…” He wasn’t entirely sure what _more_ he was asking for, only that he had definitely not had enough. 

The skin of Frank’s sack was velvety soft, the hairs trimmed short, and Gerard turned his face to feel the texture of them on his cheek. He could have slept there, nuzzling into Frank’s crotch all night long, and wondered fleetingly if he might actually get the chance. 

“Fuck, you’re so hot…” Frank sighed, breathing heavily and watching Gerard with glossy eyes. 

“You’re a greedy thing, aren’t you?” Grant’s fingers played around the nape of Gerard’s neck as he watched him explore Frank’s testes with the tip of his tongue. “I knew you were.” He sounded so delighted about it, that Gerard simply smiled and continued nosing between Frank’s legs.

“Feel better, love?” Grant turned his gaze to Frank’s face, his smile warm and inquisitive. 

“Much better.” Frank nodded, sagging down the side of the door now, feeling boneless and happy. He tangled his fingers into Gerard’s hair too and smiled when he felt Grant’s hand move next to his own. “I could sleep like this…”

“I’m sure Gerard won’t mind.” Grant said gently. 

“I don’t.” Gerard immediately moved, going to sit up, but to his surprise both Frank and Grant pressed on his head to push him back into Frank’s lap. 

“Stay.” Frank urged him, widening his legs a touch. “S’nice… soothing…”

Gerard blinked up at him, surprised but delighted. His stomach clenched and he settled more comfortably on his knees in the footwell. He could feel warmth starting to glow inside his chest, and he realised he hadn’t felt so understood or wanted in a long time. 

“Okay…” He said quietly, burying his smile into Frank’s thigh for a moment. “Nice for me too…” He told the denim.

Frank sighed happily and lay his head against the back of the seat. He supposed he must look ridiculous, fully dressed but for his open jeans, his cock still out and still slightly hard, but he didn’t care. He was always tired after a shift at the furnace, and he felt safe and warm as he drifted easily to sleep.

Gerard lay his head against Frank’s thigh and lifted one hand to lay on the opposite leg. He stroked just his thumb across to Frank’s balls, feeling out the seam between the stones with a gentle touch. His eyes he turned upwards, and when he saw Grant watching him, more heat exploded in his belly.

“You okay down there?” Grant asked, his hand moving out of his hair to caress the side of his jaw now. “You’re not uncomfortable?”

“No, I’m fine.” Gerard spoke quietly, sensing that Frank was already asleep. “This is nice, actually.”

Grant smiled with such warmth that it made Gerard feel dizzy for an entirely different reason to lust. His eyes crinkled up at the corners, and his fingers were whisper soft as they smoothed beneath Gerard’s lips. 

“He always sleeps on the way home.” He said conversationally, keeping his voice low. “The Furnace takes a lot out of him, especially when he’s the plant.” 

“Does it change every night?” Gerard asked softly, stroking the soft hairs on Frank’s sack without really thinking, like petting a cat. 

“It does. It has to.” Grant nodded, fingers drifting to caress the side of Gerard’s neck now. “A different plant each night of the week, and a different Devil too. Then on our days off, or if a cast member is sick, the story is altered to make it work with what team is in.” 

Gerard was fascinated, and dozens of questions clamoured in his mind. “How does it all work?” He asked eagerly. “How do you know who’s said mercy? How do you know what guests will like what? Do you watch everyone as they go? How do you keep track? Are there different routes? Are there -”

“Gerard, stop.” Grant laughed heartily, his eyes sparkling. “Would you ask a magician to reveal his methods?” He asked pointedly, lifting an eyebrow with an amused sort of smile. “If I tell you, it will take away the magic.”

Gerard pouted, but he supposed Grant had a point. He warred with himself, desperate to know all about the inner workings of the furnace, and yet also wanting it to stay a mystery. If this was the only night he would spend with these men, then he wanted it to be magical. He wanted to remember the whole evening as the splendor that it was - and always be left wondering how it was pulled off.

“Ah, see?” Grant noticed the moment that Gerard realised he was right. “You don’t really want to know.”

Gerard sighed, but he nodded. He was quiet for a while, his fingers trailing a path from the tip of Frank’s cock, down to his balls and back again. He had started to soften, but only slightly, and Gerard was delighted to find that if he just kept touching him - even so faintly - it was enough to keep him semi erect.

“Will you tell me one thing?” He eventually asked, after he’d had more time to chew over Grant’s words.

Grant inclined his head, his smile curious. “Alright…”

“Who designed it all?” Gerard felt like he knew, but he was dying to know if he was right. “Who actually invented The Furnace?”

Grant’s smile widened and he chuckled at the eager look in Gerard’s eyes. “I did.” He said gently, trying not to laugh when Gerard beamed at him. “It was something I started to think about at college, but it took decades for the idea to crystallize properly. And when I met Frank, and shared it with him, it was his excitement that snowballed it into something real.”

“That’s amazing.” Gerard said with honest amazement. He couldn’t imagine all the money and time and effort that must have gone into the actual creation of The Furnace, and it was no surprise to discover that the first seeds of the idea had been sown so many years ago. He didn’t know how old Grant was, but he could guess that college for him probably ended as long as thirty years ago, though Frank seemed to be more of Gerard’s age.

“How long have you two been together?” He suddenly thought to ask, glancing up at Frank’s face. He couldn’t be older than Gerard - who had turned thirty three that April - but he and Grant must have been together a while for them to have built The Furnace together. 

“Ten years.” The answer, when Grant gave it, still took Gerard by surprise. “I was giving a lecture at his college about occult symbols in modern media, and he approached me after class.”

Gerard reeled at this new information. The subject topic, whilst fascinating, didn’t interest him anywhere near as much as the implication of a teacher, student romance did. He imagined Frank, twenty years old and plucky enough to approach a guest professor and seduce them. Or had Grant been the seducer? Gerard, and his cock, were very, _very_ interested.

“You were a college professor?” Gerard’s voice was definitely huskier than it had been a moment ago. 

“For a while.” Grant sounded like he was trying not to laugh. “I’ve held down a lot of different jobs in my time. But what about you, Gerard? I’m far more interested in you.” 

Gerard wrinkled his nose up. “Me? I’m nothing special.”

“Oh but I don’t think that’s true, is it?” Grant smiled fondly as he worked his fingers through Gerard’s hair once again. “You could be flipping burgers in a fast food restaurant and still easily be the most fascinating person I’ve met in a long time.” 

Gerard blushed and couldn’t help the smile that pulled at his lips. He even felt rather pleased with himself as he said, “I’m an artist, actually.”

“Of course you are.” Grant breathed the words on a long sigh, and his eyes sparkled with something Gerard couldn’t quite place. It was as if Grant was seeing something for the first time, like puzzle pieces coming together that no one else could see. “You had to be. You simply had to. An artist… Tell me about your art Gerard.” He still spoke softly, but there was a barely concealed intensity to his voice now that made Gerard tingle all over.

“You’d like it.” Gerard didn’t usually speak so confidently about his work, but something in the way Grant looked at him, made him believe it. “I’m working on a comic book right now, it’s about these seven kids with superpowers, who get adopted by a billionaire who creates a sort of… family super-team I guess.” 

Grant laughed, delighted by the way Gerard’s whole face lit up. His passion was the most attractive thing about him, and something Frank had a knack of seeing in people. Perhaps that had been what attracted them to each other in the first place; but Grant didn’t believe in accidents. That Gerard had come to their furnace, on the night he and Frank took the most important roles; that Frank would immediately take to Gerard before they’d even entered the furnace, that they had found their way here, now…

No, Grant didn’t believe in accidents.

“Tell me, Gerard…” He curled his fingers beneath his chin and tipped his head back so their eyes could meet. “Do you believe in destiny?”


	12. The End

The music inside the bondage club was loud tonight, so loud that it thumped through the walls and heavy fire doors, so that even right in the front hallway it made Gerard’s teeth rattle. He had never really liked the party nights. The flashing lights and deafening music was too overwhelming for him to relax into any sort of scene, especially with a new partner. But then, for others, it was that sort of adrenaline that got them going he supposed.

It didn’t matter anyway, he wasn’t here to play tonight. He was here to work. If five minutes of sticking posters on the wall counted as work. It didn’t, in Gerard’s opinion, but Grant insisted it did and paid him handsomely for it. 

Clearly the man had more money than sense.

Gerard smiled fondly to himself and smoothed out the poster with his palm, then stood back to admire it. 

_Dare you enter The Devil’s Furnace?_

The old poster had had a photo of the building with scantily clad monsters superimposed into the windows. The new poster had been designed by Gerard, and now his artwork was bold and bright on the club walls, with his signature in the bottom corner. Grant had insisted it be there, incase anyone enquired about the artist.

Gerard had scoffed and tried to tell him that would never happen, but once again Grant had been right and he had been wrong. The new posters had only started going up last week, but already Gerard had dozens of emails in his inbox with questions like, _are you the guy who made this poster?_

Gerard had seen more photos of his poster taken on a phone than he had of the actual, physical poster… And each time, it made him grin like an idiot.

The Furnace was reaping the rewards of new advertisement too. They were now booked out for the next six months, and word was spreading fast. Grant had even had a request from a national kink magazine for an article, which he had accepted, with certain conditions… The main of course, that no photos would be permitted. But, he did have an artist on hand who would be glad to provide illustrations if they wished…

Gerard had received a down payment from the magazine into his account before he’d even known about the article. 

“Hey, look!” A man came up behind Gerard, leaning on his shoulder as if he knew him and peering at the new poster with wide eyes. “I know this place, oh man, you guys ever been?” He asked the two people who had walked in with him. “It’s crazy good! Hey, you ever been man?” He tapped Gerard’s shoulder, as if he couldn’t already feel him hanging off him.

Gerard’s lips twitched as he fought a smile and slowly extracted himself from the man’s grip. 

“Yeah, I’ve been before.” He shrugged and picked up his bag from where he had left it on the floor. “Once or twice.”

*

When Grant entered the courtroom, the change in energy was palpable. The sinners lined up against the wall all fell silent, breathing heavily and watching with wide, terrified eyes as the Devil revealed Himself for the first time.

Gerard could well remember the way it felt to see him in that moment; to take in the lean lines of his body beneath that tailored suit. The way it felt to be stared at by those coal black eyes…

The tingle that went down his spine had not lessened in the slightest, twelve months later, whenever the Devil entered the room.

“Candy,” Grant spoke to the judge without a single glance in her direction, “take the dogs and leave. If you think you can still control them.” He sneered. 

Judge Candy scrambled to obey, kissing Grant’s feet before she left. She snapped at the wolves, dragging them out of the courtroom as their trembling audience watched. Gerard stood amongst them, his own trembling borne from anticipation rather than fear, not that anyone else would know that. 

Grant walked down the line, talking to their guests, inspiring fear and lust with each careful word and touch. One lady was crying quietly, and had been ever since the nuns… Her weeping was putting everyone edge, which Gerard now knew helped the overall experience greatly. The scariest thing about the furnace, was what people conjured up in their own minds. 

“You.” Grant came to stand in front of Gerard, his smile so faint that only Gerard could see it. “You have a filthy soul.” He purred, reaching out to caress Gerard’s cheek. “Will you join me?”

Gerard reeled back, clenching his teeth as he shook his head. “Never!” 

“No?” Grant stroked one fingertip beneath his chin, tilting his head back. “Do you really think you have a choice?” He paused a beat, letting his words sink in before he stepped back and spoke louder, addressing everyone now. “Do any of you think you have a choice?”

All along the line, sinners turned their gazes away, tense and frightened. Some of the braver ones though, defiantly met Grant’s eyes. There were always a few. 

“I will never do as you tell me.” Gerard snarled, putting as much venom into his voice as he could muster. “I’m not a sinner!”

“Is that so?” Grant grinned, slow and dark. He stepped back, never taking his eyes off Gerard, and beckoned at him with his finger. “If your soul is pure as you say, then I will not be able to control you. But if there is even the smallest hint of darkness in you, then I will find it, and I will make it mine.” 

Gerard clenched his teeth and growled, leaning back to try and plant himself against the wall. He shook his head and tensed his body, snapping and snarling as Grant just went on crooking his finger at him, calm and sure.

“No… N-No…” Gerard slowly pushed away from the wall and stumbled forward a step. He hunched over, fighting with himself as he edged closer to Grant, one painful step at a time. “ _No_... No… I won’t-”

“Oh but you will.” Grant walked backwards, leading Gerard into the centre of the room. “Fight it, if you wish, but you will obey. You _all_ obey in the end.” He looked up, at the watching audience, and grinned darkly at them all. 

Gerard joined Grant in the centre of the room, fighting his body the whole way. Once he reached him, Grant turned his palm face down and made a sinking motion with his hand. Gerard went with it, crumpling down onto his knees as if he couldn’t control himself. 

“See how easy it is for me?” Grant purred, keeping his hand out as if he were controlling Gerard. “See how willingly your body reacts?” He paused, letting the tension in the room build even more. “Take your clothes off.” 

“No.” Gerard snarled, even as he began to lift his t-shirt over his head. “N - No! No, stop!” He began to put some panic into his voice, removing his clothes slowly and with disjointed movements. “Please! Please, I’m not gay!”

That line always made Frank snigger with laughter, but for once he was able to keep a straight face. He was in the line up of sinners too. Using two plants, they had discovered, was the best way to be unpredictable. Frank wouldn’t be called upon until the forest room, where he would meet his grisly demise at the hands of the witch.

They had Jack to thank for that little treasure. A bit more fear was always good, Gerard had argued when he had first been pulled into the furnace team, and seeing someone actually get torn apart, after coming to know them, would surely be enough to terrify the bravest of guests.

Since then, the woods witch had been tearing up plants every night. They had a fantastic special effects team who helped make it all possible, though Frank did complain that hiding the blood packets under his shirt made him look fat.

And there had been one disastrous evening where he’d split one accidentally whilst in the prison cell with the other sinners and had caused a lady to faint, whilst another screamed for an ambulance… But, as Grant had laughed later, that’s show business.

Gerard quite enjoyed being torn up by the witch - being the cause of people’s terror was turning out to be quite fun. But he much preferred playing this role… 

Once he was naked at Grant’s feet, he was yanked up to stand against his chest, his back to the audience. Grant had Judge Candy return with a tray bearing lube and a beautiful, golden plug. It wasn’t the urethral plug - that was still Frank’s domain - but it matched in that it was golden, and had a gorgeous red ruby set into the base.

Grant slipped it between Gerard’s cheeks with ease and tapped it with his finger to make Gerard jerk against him. His cock was hard and leaking, and Grant grinned at their audience as he said, “you see? In the end, you shall all submit.”

Gerard locked his knees to stop himself from slumping to the floor. Even after all this time, whenever Grant said those words, his instinct reaction was to present himself to him. Grant knew it, so he kept him held tightly to his chest as they waited for Candy to force the sinners out of the courtroom and into the prison cells.

Frank was at the back of the line, and as he passed them he flashed Gerard a wink. “Such a greedy slut.” He whispered to him, voice full of fondness. 

“Move along.” Grant snapped at him, his eyes sparkling even with the contacts in. “And you,” he added, turning to peck Gerard’s lips once they were alone, “you keep that in until we get home, and I’ll reward you.” 

Gerard really did nearly collapse then. 

“Y - Yes, sir.”

*

As soon as they made it home, Gerard tumbled into bed with Frank in his arms, kissing him frantically and trying to both remove their clothes and tangle his limbs around him all at once. His cock was hard in a flash, his plug shifting deliciously against his prostate every time he moved. 

“Now, now pets.” Grant sauntered in lazily behind them, undoing his suit jacket as if he had all the time in the world. “I don’t want blood on the sheets, showers first.” He said firmly. 

Gerard whined in protest, trying to pin Frank to his body as he began to move away. “But - But you said as soon as we get home-”

“I said keep it in _until_ we get home.” Grant gave Gerard a pointed look. A look that dared him to try and argue. Gerard was tempted to, he so did enjoy a good spanking over Grant’s knee; but right then, getting filled by his cock was far more important. 

“Feel free to remove it, if you wish.” Grant went on casually, his long fingers slowly unbuttoning his white shirt as Frank obediently slid off Gerard and moved towards the ensuite. “But don’t expect to be filled again until we’re all nice and clean.” 

Gerard pouted sullenly - as disobedient as he dared be - and slowly sat up on the bed. He considered a moment, looking down at the fake blood he was now slathered in, thanks to Frank, and then turned a much sweeter expression to Grant. 

“May I please join him in the shower?” He asked. 

Grant smirked, rolling his eyes fondly. “You may… but hands to yourselves, you hear? Unless you’re washing each other.” He sat down on the bed, draping one leg over the other to untie his shoes. 

“Can we kiss?” Frank asked eagerly, holding his hand out for Gerard to take. 

Grant considered, then nodded. “You can kiss.” 

Gerard beamed at him and dashed to Frank, taking his hand. The two of them disappeared into the bathroom in a fit of laughter, and Grant couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.

He undressed slowly, removing his suit and folding it up neatly despite the fact he was going to put into the laundry pile later. It helped, this slow, methodical folding, to keep him in the right headspace. He could easily come home, throw on an old t-shirt and lounge pants, and curl up with his two lovers with a midnight snack and an old horror movie on the tv… But his two boys were insatiable, and he knew from experience that they liked having the Devil around for just a little bit longer.

When Frank and Gerard emerged from the bathroom - much sooner than Grant had been expecting - they were both dripping wet and fully erect. It made Grant smile to see them stood before him, bright eyed and hopeful, cocks curved up towards their stomachs. He truly was a very, very lucky man.

“Well now, what do I have here?” He reached for Gerard first, pulling him to stand between his legs. He ran his hands down his hips, and reached his fingers round to pull at the cheeks of his ass. He knew he must have revealed the plug when he saw Frank’s pupils grow, his eyes going dark and hungry. 

“Did you behave yourselves?” Grant asked softly, touching the plug with one finger and pressing it deeper into Gerard. He felt his muscles clench, and he smiled. 

“Y - Yes… Yes, sir… We’ve been so good.” He promised, widening his legs slightly and tilting his hips back. Frank licked his lips and nodded his agreement. 

“We were good.” He confirmed, though everything in him - from the darkness of his eyes to the tension of his muscles - was telling Grant that he was fighting with it. 

Grant smiled, humming to himself as he planted a kiss to Gerard’s stomach, deliberately just missing the head of his cock. 

“Well then… since you’ve been so good, Frankie, my darling… how about you come here and give him what he wants?” 

Frank’s breath left him in a rush and he had to bite back his moan. His cock gave him away, twitching up higher for a moment as blood rushed through it. Grant almost always had Gerard first, especially after the plug. Frank didn’t mind in the slightest, but being asked to take him first was like the ultimate gift. 

“Thank you, sir.” He said in hushed, awe-filled tones. 

“Come on then.” Grant patted Gerard’s buttocks and moved out of the way so he could climb onto the bed. “You’ve both been so good for me. Let me see you enjoy yourselves.”

Grant himself settled comfortably into the chair beside the bed that was almost exclusively used for him to watch them from. Sometimes they rode him or sucked his cock whilst he sat there, but it was never used outside of play. It meant that even the simple act of sitting in it caused a pavlovian response in Grant, and his cock began to really pay attention.

Gerard’s heart was racing the moment he settled on top of the sheets. He knelt with his legs wide apart, pressing his chest into the mattress so his ass was high in the air. He was so ready for it, his muscles rippling around the plug. The furnace always got him excited, but being a plant was the best. Being the plant that got played with by the Devil was best of all, and he was aching for release. 

Frank was already on the edge too. He was beyond excited to be the first to take Gerard, especially with Grant watching. His heart was racing in his chest, and he had to slow himself down as he carefully settled behind Gerard and hooked his fingers around the base of the plug. 

The ruby shimmered in the lamplight as Frank began to ease the gold from Gerard’s body. It was slick and shiny, the metal curved in the perfect angle to rub against his prostate. It was no surprise his cock had been leaking all night long, and his hole was blushing pink from being stretched for so long. When the plug finally came free, Frank watched in amazement as Gerard’s rim clenched, winking at him and making his cock throb. 

“Fuck, you look so good.” Frank couldn’t resist leaning in to kiss him first, right between his spread cheeks. His tongue lapped easily past his loosened rim, tasting lube and the metallic tang of the plug. He pressed his tongue deeper, delighting in the way it made Gerard cry out and squirm, his thighs quivering. 

“Don’t tease him, love.” Grant’s silky voice came to him from the chair. “He needs it desperately.”

Frank sat back on his haunches and made a show of wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. He looked down at Gerard, at the eager way he arched his back, and felt moisture blossom in the slit of his cock. 

“Lube-” Frank looked around, breaking out of his stupor, but Grant was already handing him the bottle. Frank grinned at him, grateful, and hurried to pour a healthy amount over his shaft. He made a circle with his fingers and jerked himself a couple of times under the pretense of spreading the lube, and then he pressed forward until the head was nudged snugly in the kiss of Gerard’s rim.

Frank paused a beat, breathing hard as he simply looked at their bodies touching, not quite joined. He rubbed against his rim, shuddering out a breath as Gerard deliberately clenched his muscles to rub them over the tip of his cock. 

“J - Jesus…” Frank’s balls were high and tight already, and he couldn’t bear to wait another second. He pressed in nice and slow, his jaw hanging open as he watched his cock open Gerard up. He sank into him so easily, like they were made to fit together, and pleasure pulsed through him like an electric current.

Beneath him, Gerard moaned wantonly; a sound so high and urgent that it made Frank’s head swim. His body felt like it was clutching at him, trying to drag him in deeper, greedy thing that he was… and Frank couldn’t take it. 

“O - Oh, oh n - no, fuck-” Frank hips stuttered, rocking forward to press deeper and deeper even as he realised it was all too much. He couldn’t stop himself from chasing it, to thrust eagerly into Gerard all of two times and then fall into his orgasm that was as embarrassing as it was blissful. 

Grant quirked an eyebrow at him, listening to his familiar moans as Frank came, spilling inside of Gerard. He was holding his hips tight, keeping him still as he pushed in deep and throbbed inside him. Gerard moaned too, delighted that Frank had come so soon. It made him flush with pride, even as his own cock ached painfully.

“Oh fuck… mngh, fuck…” Frank sagged over Gerard’s back as he came down, his head swimming. “Fuck Gee, m’sorry…”

“Frankie darling, it’s terribly rude to pip your lovers to the post like that.” Grant teased him, his smile amused. “Whatever will I do with you?”

“I’m sorry.” Frank groaned, trying a weak thrust to see if he could go on. He was still hard, but his glans were unbearably sensitive. He had no doubt he could recover quickly, but when Gerard wanted to be fucked, he was impatient to say the least. 

Right on cue, Gerard made a pitiful sound low in his throat and shifted his hips back. He had been aching all night for this, and he wasn’t about to wait any longer. 

“I will decide your punishment later.” Grant rose to his feet, and softened his words with a warm, tender kiss to Frank’s lips. He patted him on the hip and Frank immediately took the hint. He pulled out of Gerard and shifted out of the way, watching the way his own release began to ooze out of Gerard before Grant’s cock was pushing it back in.

Gerard gasped and threw his head back, moaning loudly as Grant filled him. He was thicker than Frank… thicker than _anyone_. Gerard could well remember seeing his cock for the first time, and realising why he didn’t get it out at any point in the furnace. If he did, no one would be able to concentrate on anything else. Gerard had been so stunned he’d found himself saying ‘ _fuck me, you’re hung like the Devil too’_ and had earned a healthy caning for being insolent. He’d loved every second. 

Right now, that thick cock was everything he needed. It stretched him so perfectly, and pressed tightly against his prostate. 

Frank’s ejaculate made him slick inside, and Grant thrust wetly into him, his long fingers holding his hips steady. He didn’t move fast because he didn’t need to; each roll of his hips was sinuous and lethal, grinding over Gerard’s prostate and driving his climax into him like he had no choice in the matter.

Frank watched the way Grant’s cock disappeared into Gerard again and again, his mouth watering, and then slowly crawled across the bed to lie down opposite Gerard. He smiled cheekily at him, Gerard’s eye’s half-lidded and glossy with pleasure.

“Can I kiss you?” He asked sweetly, knowing that even a good, filthy kiss could be enough to tip Gerard sometimes.

Gerard was too speechless to reply, but he tipped his head up in answer. His eyes fluttered closed when he felt Frank’s lips on his, soft and inquisitive at first. He felt out the shape of his mouth, parting his lips tenderly and then - right as Grant pressed in particularly deep - Frank thrust his tongue into Gerard’s mouth and sent him flying.

Gerard came so hard that he was sure he must have blacked out, if only for a second. When his brain came back online he was still spurting onto the sheets, each thick rope of ejaculate pushed from him by Grant’s cock grinding over that sweet spot inside him.

Frank was still kissing him, tasting each one of his moans on his tongue as he shook and cried and tumbled through his pleasure. It was more bliss than Gerard had ever known, and by the time Grant was spending inside of him, the only thing stopping him from collapsing into the mattress was two pairs of hands holding him up.

*

“I never thought I’d see the day we hosted a wedding in the furnace.” Grant chuckled, helping arrange flowers in the fortune teller’s room. It had been decluttered for the occasion, with rows of chairs in place of the bric-a-brac that usually filled it, and the doorway to the secret chamber open so that the aisle led to the altar where the jars usually stood.

“I never thought this place could look so romantic.” Frank giggled, helping Gerard light the coloured torches on the walls. They felt even more fitting now, in their rainbow colours. 

“Make way! Make way! Lady with a baby coming through!” Lyn burst into the room with her arms full of flowers, Melissa grinning as she walked behind her. This time, Lyn really _did_ have a baby, and as soon as she had handed the flowers to Grant, she dashed to Gerard and Frank to proudly show off her bump.

“She’s cooking nicely!” She beamed, patting the swell of her belly as Frank went all doe eyed and begged to feel her bump. “Pssh, you don’t have to ask every time Frank.” Lyn laughed, grabbing his hand and laying it onto the hard swell of her stomach. 

“I want a baby.” Frank sighed, patting his own flat stomach and making Gerard roll his eyes fondly. “We keep trying, but no luck yet.” 

“Jesus H Christ.” Lyn laughed, shaking her head and giving him a little shove. “I think you’re missing some basic equipment Frankie.”

“No babies!” Grant called from across the room, laughing when Frank stuck his tongue out at him. “We’re already three men in a relationship, with an erotic haunted house to boot. Who’s letting us adopt huh?” 

Gerard smiled fondly, only amused because he knew that Grant didn’t really mean it. If Frank was serious about adoption, Grant would sell the furnace in a heartbeat and do everything in his power to give them a family. Luckily, Frank was easily appeased with the promise of a puppy, and Gerard was nowhere near ready to want to be a father.

“Don’t worry Frankie, all three of you will be our baby’s daddy.” Melissa giggled, wrapping her arms around Lyn and kissing her cheek. 

“Three daddies and two mommies? This kid is lucky as hell.” Lyn grinned, turning her head to meet Melissa’s lips. 

“Excuse me, _three_ daddies?” Aaron appeared from behind a large vase of roses, eyebrow raised. “I hope Quinn doesn’t hear you say that, he’ll throw a fit.”

“Oh my God, fine!” Lyn laughed. “ _Five_ daddies. Everybody happy now?” 

“I’m happy!” Quinn’s voice filtered from down the corridor. “It’s my wedding da - hey!”

“Out! Get out!” Gerard pushed at Quinn before he could enter the room. “The bride can’t see the room before the wedding, it’s not right!” 

“What?” Quinn tried not to look delighted as Gerard ushered him backwards. “Who said _I_ was the bride?”

“Oh come on Quinn,” Aaron called to him, “you’re obviously the bride, babe.” 

Quinn laughed softly and beamed as Gerard joined him outside, turning him around and marching him back the way he had come. “I only wanted to see if I could help. The guests will be arriving soon and-”

“It’s all under control.” Gerard assured him, kissing his cheek and admiring his navy suit. “You look gorgeous. Aaron’s going to melt when he sees you.” He linked his arm through Quinn’s, walking through the furnace (which had taken all week to make as pretty as possible, for the wedding guests who knew it only as the place Quinn and Aaron had fallen in love), and outside where they would greet the guests with glasses of champagne.

If Quinn was nervous, he didn’t show it. But then, this had been a long, long time coming. It had been painful, of course, to realise that his relationship with Beth undoubtedly had to come to an end. But in the end, they were all happier for it. Beth was bringing her new man to the wedding, and Quinn and Aaron were so happy it was sickening. 

Now, they both saw the furnace as the place their relationship had really begun, and it had only seemed right that their wedding should take place there. Gerard was still a little nervous that Quinn’s elderly mother was going to be walking into what was essentially a sex dungeon, but he knew better than to say anything.

As the first busful of guests came trundling through the gates, Gerard looked at Quinn and smiled softly. “Nervous?” He asked him gently.

“Not even a little bit.” Quinn turned his head to grin at him, his eyes sparkling. “Are you?”

“A bit.” Gerard admitted, laughing at how absurd that was. “Your mum sounds really scary.” 

Quinn snorted with laughter and gave Gerard’s arm a squeeze. “Don’t worry Gee, if she gets too much for you, just cry _mercy_ and I’ll save you.” He sniggered, earning a playful thwack in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't say goodbye without some fluff first!
> 
> Thank you all so much for your incredible comments and support during this fic, it's felt like such a special thing to write and I've had the best time! 
> 
> To Ry - I cannot thank you enough for gifting me your wonderful idea. It's not every day that something so precious is trusted to another person, and I sincerely hope I did it justice. Your feedback and suggestions throughout have meant the absolute world to me, and I am so grateful to you for letting me write this story for you. I had so much fun, more fun than I ever thought I would, and I just adore you <3 This little world we've created still has so much to explore, and I hope you'd agree with me when I say I would love to see others play in that sandbox too. 
> 
> For now, my time in the furnace is over, but thank you all again friends! And I'll be back with new works soon <3
> 
> XO


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